A New Beginning
by Accio Lumos
Summary: After the events of AHK, Lizzy is struggling to cope with the aftermath of her ordeal, desperate to get back to the person she was. Lydia is thrown into the new world beyond school but past demons still lurk in the shadows. Will is trying to be the better man that Lizzy deserves but faces clashing with Jane. Can they overcome the past for ANB?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** I thought I'd get chapter one posted now, surprise :)

 **Disclaimer: The usual applies, sadly I'm not Jane Austen.**

 **Recap: **After the events of A Hidden Kindness, George and Shane Wickham have been arrested, awaiting to be charged for the crimes they have committed.

Elizabeth Bennet was rescued from her kidnappers but has been signed off from her work duties and is receiving therapy to come to terms with what happened during her captivity. Her relationship with William Darcy is cracked but both are determined to fix it together.

William Darcy finally told his ex-wife that he needs to move on from the past and is focusing on a bright future with Elizabeth, determined to make it up to her and be a better man than he has been in the weeks leading to his girlfriend's kidnapping.

Lydia Bennet is still facing the decision as to whether her attacker, Jamie Smith, will see him serve a shorter sentence or whether he will have years added to his sentence. Whilst she, Georgiana Darcy and Denny Wickham are due to start their first year of sixth form.

 **Postings:** Once a week until I run out of written chapters, will aim for Mondays but this may change.

 **Rating:** M due to strong language, themes from the A Hidden Kindness which you may find disturbing, some sex scenes between consenting adults, read at your own risk you have been warned.

As always, please leave a review. Oh, and new readers, this story is a sequel to my story A Hidden Kindness, so I suggest you give that one a read if you have no idea what I'm talking about in this story.

 **A New Beginning**

 **Chapter One**

The sound of seagulls crying above their heads, waves crashing against the stony beach, the wet spray that bounced off the hovercraft whenever it made a landing at the landing pad in Southsea and all on a hot, clear day when the sun shone brightly in a cloud free sky were days that Lydia had come to enjoy in Portsmouth. It was the last week of June, officially three weeks since her last GCSE exam and her last official day as a year eleven at Rosings Park School and she was determined to make lasting memories this summer. While she knew that July would be a tough month, having the second anniversary of her father's death to come and the first one of Georgiana's father, she wanted to have some fun with her friends.

Lydia crossed the freshly mown common, scanning through the crowds of people who had decided to take advantage of the British heatwave with travel barbecues to try and find her friends. She'd just finished her first four-hour training shift as a barista at Boswell's café in the Cascades shopping centre in Commercial Road and it was a whole new experience that had nerved her at first, but she was now excited about. The prospect of earning her own money, working for something and gaining experience made her feel like a proper adult. She had been lucky to get a job straight away after applying just before her exams ended. Georgiana was still applying for jobs, having had two interviews for Primark and New Look but had been unsuccessful whilst Denny had managed to land a job working in Burger King. Kit was applying to several nail bars around the city centre but couldn't quite grasp the fact that the companies couldn't legally hire a sixteen-year-old girl due to the chemicals the employees were expected to work with, which is why they could only hire over eighteens.

Pulling her phone out of her shorts pocket, she pressed the call button next to Denny's phone number and pressed it to her ear. He picked up on the second ring.

"Lyds, where are you?" Denny shouted down the phone.

"Opposite the war memorial, where are you guys?" Lydia asked.

"Never mind I can see you!"

Ending the phone call, she turned around and smiled when she saw Denny approaching her. Hugging her friend briefly, the two walked began walking towards the war memorial.

"How was your first shift?" Denny asked.

"Do you know what? I enjoyed it," Lydia smiled brightly, "I never thought I would enjoy my first job, but I've already got two shifts for this week after today and another four shifts next week."

"That's great Lyds." Denny beamed.

"How's Burger King going?"

Denny's smile faded. The look on his face said it all. It had been two months since her sister's kidnapping by Denny's father and brother had made the newspapers and they were all having a rough time. Denny had been accused by their peers at school of being involved in the kidnapping whilst Lydia was being hounded by their peers over why she continued to be friends with Denny and asking for gory details of her sister being held in a 'murder basement' as the nightclub was now being referred to. Georgie had been suffering too, with people telling her that she should cut all ties with Denny due to their siblings shared past. Denny and his mother had also been harassed by journalists who were making documentaries on murderers and wanted exclusive interviews with Denny and Harriet to the point where Denny had to remain silent as he barged his way through the small crowd of journalists who were gathered outside his house every day.

"What happened?" Lydia asked.

"Some of the workers who have been there a lot longer than me threatened to lock me in the walk-in chiller to 'teach me a lesson' over what my brother and dad did to Elizabeth, Oscar and Sarah." Denny replied quietly.

"Did you tell a manager?"

Denny shook his head.

"Nope. I've only been working there for a few weeks Lyds, I don't want to be known as the work grass on top of a kidnappers and murderer's brother. I just wish I could change my biological family." He sighed.

"That doesn't mean you should put up with threats that could endanger your health and life, Denny. Who cares what they think?!"

"It's easy for you to say."

The pair stopped, with Lydia frowning.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she questioned.

"Just that you seem to not care what others think." Denny answered with a shrug.

"I used to, not anymore." Lydia said dismissively.

Denny sighed heavily.

"I'm sorry, I just think you have it a lot easier sometimes." He apologised.

"We don't, Denny. I am constantly being told that I should stop being your friend by Jane, by our classmates. I know you had nothing to do with what happened to Lizzy, Oscar and that Sarah woman. I know you are nothing like your dad and brother. I know who you really are. As do Georgie, Kit, Mary and the guys. We want to be your friend, we'll get through this together because that's what friends do. So, when you're next on shift, have a word with your manager and tell them what happened because threatening is bullying in the workplace and shouldn't be tolerated." Lydia said defiantly.

She watched as his eyes widened in surprise, as if he had been dreading the moment that she would declare them not friends anymore but only for her to declare they would all get through this.

"Thank you, Lyds." Denny mumbled.

Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, she hugged him tightly.

"You're my best guy, Denny, I'll always have your back." She assured him.

The two released the other and carried on walking to the other side of the war memorial until they reached a patch of grass where their friends were sitting.

"Look who finally made it!" Georgiana greeted cheerfully.

Sitting down next to her best friend, Lydia smiled. Kit was laying on the grass opposite her, her top cropped up as far as she could get it without exposing herself indecently as she tried to tan her stomach whilst Mary was sat above her sister's head wiping her glasses clean.

"How did the first shift go?" Mary asked.

"Really well, I know how to work the coffee machine and make the different coffees they sell there. I'm on kitchen training on my next shift to learn food safety." Lydia replied.

"Alright for some. I've been rejected for three interviews." Kit grumbled.

"We know you'd prefer to work in a nail bar, Kit. No need to be so moody." Mary said, nudging her sister in the ribs with her foot.

Kit sat up, throwing her sister an evil glare as she pushed her top down.

"Why don't you try applying for the make-up stands in Debenhams? They might be looking for staff." Denny suggested.

"That's an idea." Kit said, a littler cheerier.

"How about you Mary? Have you heard from any potential employers yet?" Georgiana asked.

Mary smiled and nodded.

"I'm a trainee at the music shop in Commercial Road, you know the one by the train station? I've also been accepted to volunteer at the civic office library on Saturdays." Mary announced.

"That's great!" Lydia said enthusiastically.

"We should do something to celebrate properly. How about bowling tonight?" Georgiana suggested happily.

"Bowling sounds good to me." Denny agreed.

With the twins in agreement, Lydia smiled at the thought she had. Whilst it had been a difficult period while everyone dealt with the aftermath of her sister's kidnapping and the stressful time of completing their GCSE examinations, her friendships with Denny, Georgiana, Kit and Mary were stronger than ever.

ooOoo

"Lizzy? Are you alright?"

Blinking twice, Elizabeth smiled up at her boyfriend and nodded as he took a seat on the sofa next to her.

"Yeah I'm fine." She replied.

Will took her hand in his and placed a light kiss to the back of her hand. It had been three months since her kidnapping and it had been a rough few months. Her therapy sessions were a regular once a week thing now that Dr. Richardson was happy she was opening herself up a lot more instead of closing herself off from the world, she was talking more about her ordeal to her family and her boyfriend, but she didn't feel like herself anymore. She was yet to have a full night of sleep because she still had nightmares about Wickham and Oscar, her mind picturing what kind of torture her ex-boyfriend had been through and the sleeping pills she had stopped taking a few weeks after her ordeal because she didn't want to rely on medication to sleep.

Then there were outings. The first time she had stepped out of the house to do something other than a therapy session with Dr. Richardson was to go and help Maddie and Ed with the food shopping and it had ended with her being too scared to step foot out of the car and had a panic attack because every male stranger who walked past them, she was convinced had some ulterior motive to harm her. So, Maddie had driven her home whilst Ed had insisted he do the shopping alone. So mostly, she stayed in the house and surrounded herself with company to try not to feel alone. But she did. The person she had been was gone, thanks to George and Shane Wickham. She no longer felt confident to go out by herself, she no longer felt the need to tease people and enjoy a joke. She didn't feel like smiling. She felt lost and alone.

But true to his word, Will had been by her side for the past two months. He stayed over when he could, had arranged with his cousin Richard to cover for him where TPA duties were concerned with Will only going up to London the early hours of Monday morning to Wednesday lunchtime to make his presence felt and deal with some of the business partners who were a little pushier by wanting to 'deal with the Darcy, not the Fitzwilliam' as his business partners had said. And when he was away, he was constantly calling or texting her to make sure she knew he was there to talk if she needed to. The days he was out of Portsmouth were hard, she missed him terribly. But she still had her aunt, uncle and sisters.

Jane had taken it upon herself to stay in Portsmouth a lot longer than originally planned. She had managed to hire a temporary manager to run Longbourn in her absence and was splitting her time in Portsmouth by staying with Charles or sleeping on the sofa at Maddie and Ed's. But while it was nice to have her sister around a lot more, Jane was starting to annoy her by the overprotective fussing she was doing over her.

"I was thinking we could do something today if you're feeling up to it?" Will suggested.

Elizabeth bit her lip nervously, silently weighing up the pros and cons in her mind of going out of the house, wondering if she felt up to it and if she'd have another panic attack. But before she could voice the thoughts running around in her head, Jane entered the living room with three cups of tea. Her sister handed a cup each to her and Will before sitting next to them on the sofa.

"Smart idea! Let's go out of the house when Lizzy could have another panic attack!" Jane said sarcastically.

"It was just a suggestion, I'm not pressuring her to go out if she doesn't feel up to it." Will said softly.

Elizabeth looked up at her boyfriend, noting how he was trying not to snap at Jane. That had been another tough thing for her to deal with. Having Jane and Will around each other all the time was like walking on eggshells. Jane disliked Will because Elizabeth had confided in her about Will's insecurities earlier in their relationship. Will, despite his best efforts, was finding it hard to put up with Jane's snapping, sarcastic comments and general hostility towards him.

"She's not going anywhere with you by herself."

"Why not? We need some time alone."

"You've had time alone with her." Jane stated.

"I think our definitions of 'time alone' are very different, Jane." Will argued.

"Yeah we all know what a male version of 'time alone' means! Talk about taking advantage."

Elizabeth's heart was beating faster in her chest. She didn't want to be sat in the middle of her sister and her boyfriend arguing over what they each thought was best for her. She felt like she wasn't twenty-five years old the way they were arguing. It felt like she was a little girl in the middle of a bitter custody battle between her parents the way Will and Jane were arguing over her.

"I just want some time alone with my girlfriend without you hovering over us." Will said through gritted teeth.

"Because you know Lizzy so well that you know what's best for her!" Jane shot at him.

"ENOUGH!" Elizabeth shouted.

The two of them looked at her in surprise, Maddie looked over at the three of them from where she sat in the dining room going through her admin paperwork she was working on. Everyone looked surprised at her outburst, but Elizabeth had had enough. She was sick of the squabbling, she was sick of the hostility. Placing her cup of tea on the coffee table, she stood up.

"Lizzy…" her sister begun to say.

"No, I don't want to hear it. I'm sick of the two of you, arguing all the time. Do you think that's helping me? Do you think arguing is what's best for me?" Elizabeth yelled.

The two of them looked uncomfortable as she eyed the two of them furiously.

"I'm going out, I need to get out of here!"

"Do you want me to come with you?" Jane asked, starting to stand.

"No! I need room to breathe Jane, you're hovering over me all the time. You're concerned about me and I get that but it's starting to feel like you're suffocating me." Elizabeth snapped.

She knew by the look of shock on her sister's face that she had hurt Jane's feelings by her outburst. But in the moment, she didn't care. She needed to get out of the house and not be around her sister for a little while, she could feel guilty and apologise to Jane later. Without looking back, Elizabeth walked out of the living room and pulled her shoes on and opened the front door; feeling the light summer breeze hit her body as her heart beat picked up its pace.

 _You can do this, Lizzy, you can do this._

Elizabeth took a deep breath and stepped outside the house, closing the front door behind her. Starting a slow walking pace, she took a right and continued walking down the street taking slow and deep breaths while telling herself silently that she could do this. She had missed being out in the outside world, had missed the glorious sunny days that came with the start of the summer. She had missed just going for a walk.

Behind her, she heard footsteps. Running footsteps. Her heart rate picked up, faster and faster hammering against her chest. Her breath quickened. She walked quicker, starting into a power walk until she felt an arm enclose on her wrist. Letting out a scream, the person who had grabbed her arm turned her around, only for her to see a frightened looking Will was the person who had grabbed her.

"Lizzy…"

She pushed him off her, leaning against the brick wall of someone else's house as she tried to calm herself down.

"Are you an idiot?" she breathed angrily.

Will frowned.

"Wha-"

"What part of you thought it would be a good idea to run after me and grab me like that, knowing what I've been through?" Elizabeth snapped as she tried to catch her breath.

"I'm sorry, I didn't think." Will quickly apologised.

"You scared me, Will." She said quietly, her voice breaking.

"I didn't mean to scare you, I promise. I just wanted to catch up to you, to be with you in case you needed someone." Will said softly.

Elizabeth let out a heavy sigh. While she had managed to calm herself down, she felt utterly useless with herself. She hadn't even managed to get to the end of the road she lived on without getting scared and panicked that someone was going to hurt her again. She felt sick, dizzy and felt the tears falling down her face freely. Will hesitantly wrapped his arms around her and stepped forward, enveloping her in a protective embrace. She cried into his chest, wishing that she wasn't such a failure.

"Lizzy, I'm sorry that I scared you. I didn't want you to be alone." Will whispered.

"How stupid am I, I can't even make it to the end of the road without getting scared." Elizabeth muttered into his chest.

"You aren't stupid, you've been through a lot and trying to deal with it." Will assured her softly.

"But I'm not dealing with it, am I?" Elizabeth cried, looking up at him through watery eyes.

"You're trying. You've made progress."

"How have I made progress?"

Will placed a hand on her cheek, softly caressing the skin and wiping away the tears that were starting to dry there. He looked down at her, with proud eyes and an encouraging smile.

"Think of it like this. You've gotten out of the house and made it down the street, no panic attacks. Okay, I scared you, but you didn't have a panic attack and if I hadn't scared you, you'd have made it a bit further. That's progress to me, Lizzy. You aren't stupid for getting scared." Will said reassuringly.

Taking a deep breath, she muttered a 'thank you' and buried her face in his chest again, just content to be calming down and held tightly by him. He was being supportive, trying to assure her that she wasn't a failure and that getting herself out of the house on her own choice was a step on the ladder to recovery. Dr. Richardson had warned her that it would take a long while for her to get back to the person she had been before being kidnapped but to her, it was looking like she would never feel like herself. All she was doing with her life at present was sitting indoors and only venturing outside to go to her therapy appointments.

"Do you want to head back home?" Will asked.

Elizabeth shook her head as she looked up at him again.

"No, I need to get out of there. Jane is smothering me with her constant hovering. Can we go to yours?"

"Of course. I can make us some lunch if you want, we can try and play Mario Kart if you like? If you're lucky, I might let you win a few."

The idea of just relaxing at Will's house, having a catchup with Alice whilst Will made them lunch and spending the afternoon playing a video game was the perfect way to spend a few hours out of the house. Nodding her agreement, the two of them held hands and carried on their way in the direction of Will's house.

ooOoo

"Maddie, we're back." Lydia called, closing the front door behind her and Georgiana as the two girls stepped into the house.

The teenagers entered the living room and saw Maddie and Jane stop speaking, hands on hips and both looking furious. Lydia looked between her aunt and sister curiously, until her eyes focused on the suitcases that sat between the two women.

"What's going on?" Lydia questioned.

"We're leaving, that's what's going on!" Jane answered sternly.

"What do you mean 'we' and what's happened?"

"Your sisters had a little snapping incident earlier today and Jane has gotten it into her head that she needs to go back to Longbourn and take you with her." Maddie informed her.

Lydia looked at Jane and scoffed in disbelief. She knew it had been a rough few months for everyone, but this wasn't the way to handle everything.

"Jane, come on, you're running away after one disagreement?" she asked in disbelief.

Jane shook her head.

"I'm not running away, I'm going back to look after _our_ family business and you're coming with me." Her sister stated.

"I'm bloody well not!" Lydia protested.

"You're the child, I'm the guardian. I'm taking you home where you can be parented properly. Lizzy is not in the right mind to take care of you right now." Jane argued.

"Jane you're being petty, you know you are. Stop having a strop and making hasty decisions you know will cause shit for you in the long run. We promised we'd help Lizzy through this, we need to work through it together." Lydia pointed out.

"Lizzy doesn't need me around, she already made it perfectly clear that she felt suffocated by me-"

"Well maybe you need to back off a bit-"

"Again, that's what I'm doing. I'm giving Lizzy the breathing space she needs and the time alone she desperately wants with her precious boyfriend-"

"Leave my brother out of this." Georgiana interrupted.

There was a heavy and awkward silence in the room as everyone tried to get their frustration in check. Lydia took a deep breath as she watched her sister kick her suitcase across the room and scream out in frustration before sitting on the sofa.

"Jane, you can't just make rash decisions like this because of one argument. You need to talk things over with Lizzy and if you still want to go afterwards, then go back to Longbourn. But if you do decide to go back home, I'm staying here." Lydia informed her sister quietly.

"You don't get to decide-"

"I do actually," Lydia cut her sister off, "I'm sixteen and have just left school, I'm starting sixth form in September and I've just started my first job. I'm staying in Portsmouth for the next two years Jane, I'm old enough to know that this is what I want. I love you, you're my sister but you're just wanting to drag me home with you, just so you won't be on your own."

Without saying another word to her sister, Lydia gestured to Georgiana and the two teenagers exited the living room and headed up the stairs until they reached the privacy of Lydia's bedroom. Closing the door behind her best friend, Lydia let out a sigh of frustration as Georgiana gave her a sympathetic look.

"Are you alright?" Georgiana asked.

Pacing around the room, she shook her head. She was anything but alright. In the weeks since Elizabeth had been rescued she had found it hard to focus on her examinations and was stressing that she would just scrape a C grade, anything below a C and she would have to repeat her GCSE core subjects to at least get a chance of doing her A Levels. Then there was this awkward tension in the house because Elizabeth was afraid of venturing out due to panic attacks and surviving on little-to-no sleep every night because of nightmares and Jane had taken to being overprotective, hovering over her and Elizabeth to see they had everything they needed and arguing with Will over petty little things. At least now she worked at Boswell's she could escape the tension. But it was getting a bit much for her, dealing with the fears of failing her GCSE examinations, worrying about her sisters and if Elizabeth would be able to move forward from her kidnapping ordeal, to trying to ignore the awkward tension that had built up since May, to listening to petty squabbles between Jane and Will and being told by her classmates that she should cut all ties with Denny. And then there was that longing impatience of dread that she had been feeling since February: waiting for the letter to confirm the date of Jamie's appeal hearing and wondering if her attacker would have a lighter sentence granted or have a few more years added on to his current one.

"Things haven't been alright for months, Georgie." Lydia sighed heavily.

"I know," Georgiana agreed, "But try to focus on the positive, Lydi. We've left school, it's summer, we're growing up and getting jobs, you've got friends, family, people who love you."

Lydia smiled slightly and sat down on the bed next to her best friend.

"You know, moving here was supposed to be a fresh start for me and Lizzy. Look how it's turned out." She muttered quietly.

"You can still have a fresh start Lydia. A new beginning."

Her worries were still at the forefront of her mind and she didn't know how she was going to deal with them. All she did know was that life as she knew it was changing and she wasn't necessarily sure it was for the better.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Thank you for your reviews on the opening chapter, I'm glad you seem to like it. Here's chapter two with a trigger warning: do not read past the author's note if you cannot handle the ordeal that Elizabeth has been through.

 **Chapter Two**

The day had been just what she needed. When they had arrived back at Will's, she had been warmly greeted by Alice with a hug and then made a cup of tea by Will's housekeeper. She had stepped into the living room, noting how nothing had changed in the three months since she had stepped foot in her boyfriend's house. The layout was still the same, the various pictures of Will and Georgie and their parents littered the walls and surfaces of cabinets. Alice's DVD collection was still alphabetically lined up on the bottom shelf of the bookcase while Georgiana's music books for the piano littered the bottom of the coffee table like a typical teenager's mess. She had taken a seat on the sofa whilst Will went into the kitchen to make them lunch and Alice had brought her out the cup of tea, asking her what she and Will had planned for the afternoon. Elizabeth had been grateful that Alice hadn't brought up her kidnapping ordeal, or asked how she was coping with it; she had her entire family asking her how she was everything five minutes that having Alice just talk to her like she hadn't just been held captive by a psychopathic stalker made her feel normal for the first time in weeks.

Will had made them some cheese and pickle sandwiches which he had placed on a large plate on the coffee table before setting the Mario Kart game up on the Wii. Alice had gone back into the kitchen to pull the freshly cleaned and wet clothes out of the washing machine before heading upstairs to put them in the electric dryer as Will handed her a controller and the two started a game.

The rest of the afternoon had flown by in a blur. After winning the first few races, Elizabeth requested that Will stop trying to make her feel better and be a little more competitive to which he accepted her challenge and played a little tougher. After several more races and evenly tied with wins, the two switched off the game and lounged on the sofa, with Will hanging off the edge while Elizabeth was tucked up against his side and back of the sofa; their feet resting against each other at one end of the sofa whilst Elizabeth rested her head on her boyfriend's chest. For the first time in months, she fell asleep with her boyfriend and slept peacefully; until she'd had a phone call from Maddie two hours later asking her if she was coming home for dinner or not.

Now that Will had dropped her off, he was planning to finish up some work emails until he would pick her up later, having both agreed that she could spend her first night since her captivity at his house. They had already made the plan of ordering in a pizza and watching one of Alice's DVDs while the housekeeper went out to dinner with some friends. Elizabeth felt a little proud of herself, although having a shaky start to her afternoon; she had made it through an entire afternoon by going outside and not panicking. It didn't matter that her outing since her panic attacks had started was only to her boyfriend's house.

Closing the front door behind her, she took off her shoes and frowned when she saw suitcases sitting on the floor; until she entered the living room and saw her older sister sitting on the sofa with her arms folded, having a sulk which she hadn't seen Jane do since they were kids.

"Jane, are you alright?" Elizabeth asked, sitting on the sofa next to her sister.

"Not really." Jane muttered.

"Look, I'm sorry I snapped at you earlier. I'm just under a lot of stress." Elizabeth apologised.

Making eye contact with her sister, Elizabeth noted that Jane looked like she had received a punch to the stomach.

"Maybe I just need to give you a bit of space." Jane said dismissively.

"Just a tad. Jane, I know you mean well, but I don't need you hovering around me all the time. Just be there if I talk, come with me to the therapy sessions, help me make progress. That's what I need from you." Elizabeth stated softly.

"I think we need some space, you don't need me getting in your way especially when you have _William_ there for you." Jane replied icily.

Elizabeth sighed heavily. The last thing she needed right now was Jane having a go at her for her boyfriend being there. The last thing she needed was Jane having a strop because she had snapped at her earlier.

"Look Jane, I've apologised for earlier. Can you talk to me like an adult instead of a sulking child?" Elizabeth requested.

"I think you're right. I think we need some space so I'm going back to run Longbourn, you don't need me hovering over you all the time." Jane shot at her.

Elizabeth hadn't expected her sister to come out and say she was leaving Portsmouth. She had guessed that Jane would be upset at from earlier, but she thought that they could talk about it and make up just like they did with all their disagreements. But apparently, she was wrong.

"Jane, you don't have to do that." Elizabeth said quietly.

"I think it's best for everyone if we all have some space for a while." Jane replied stubbornly.

"But I need you-"

"You don't need me, Lizzy. You have Maddie and Ed, you have Will and Lydia refused to come back to Thurston with me, so you'll still have a support network." Jane interrupted.

Elizabeth frowned.

"What do you mean Lydia refused to come back to Thurston with you?"

Jane stared at her moodily, her arms still folded across her chest.

"You want me out of your space, fine. But you are hardly in the right frame of mind to consider Lydia's wellbeing." Jane stated.

Elizabeth scoffed, she couldn't believe that her older sister was being so childish that she wanted to punish Lydia for their disagreement earlier.

"So, you want to drag Lydia kicking and screaming back home to help you run Longbourn B&B? She's sixteen now Jane, she knows her own mind and what she wants." She argued.

"She's still a child, Lizzy. A child that needs an adult to make the hard decisions and look after her needs. It's only a matter of time before we get that letter through to say when the appeal date is and Lydia will need a strong guardian to get her through it-"

"How dare you?!"

"Just getting my feelings and thoughts out there like Dr. Richardson said. You feel like I'm suffocating you? Fine. I'll go back home and run the business while you sit around and have your boyfriend sort out your every need." Jane threatened.

"She also said that we need to support each other, Jane. But you're smothering me. I get up to get myself a drink and you do it for me. You ask me how I'm feeling like a million times a day. You are constantly interrupting my alone time with Will that I can't do anything with him." Elizabeth argued.

"And the reason I don't leave you with Will is because the last time I left you alone with him, you were kidnapped by a psycho!" Jane shouted.

Elizabeth froze at her sister's loud declaration. She studied her sister's face, the instant look of panic and guilt she had bottled up for the last two months but had vented her frustration out on Will because she was scared the same thing would happen again. In those few minutes of silence that followed Jane's outburst of admission, she knew that her sister blamed Will for giving her those few minutes alone on that Saturday night and that Jane blamed herself for not staying with her when they had just been told about Oscar's murder.

"Jane, it wasn't your fault or Will's. I don't hold any blame for what happened against either of you." Elizabeth said quietly.

"Maybe you don't. But Will could have stayed with you and could have taken his ex-wife's notes seriously and because he didn't you could have been hurt." Jane said stiffly.

"He told you, didn't he?" Elizabeth asked.

Jane nodded.

"When we called the police he briefly told them why he thought Wickham might have taken you he told us that his ex-wife had warned him that Wickham was planning something but didn't know what and then he spent hours at the police station viewing CCTV footage and telling them everything he knew about Wickham and his dad." Her sister explained.

"But he's making up for the mistakes he made, he's here for me and that's all I need; to know that everyone is here if I need them, if I slip up." Elizabeth said quietly.

"He might be making it up to you, Lizzy. But he still hurt you and that's something I can't easily forgive." Jane pointed out.

"You don't have to forgive him, but you do have to be civil with him. He is trying so hard to be there, working at my pace and if you two are constantly at each other's throats then I'm not going to have that support network that I need." Elizabeth stated.

Jane nodded her head sharply, it was almost as if her sister were a child sulking because she had been caught out on something she wasn't supposed to be doing and in a way, she was acting precisely like that. Elizabeth knew that she needed her sister's support in a way where Jane could put her hostility towards Will aside and help her through the dark path she was walking but she didn't need her sister's constant fussing.

"I don't think it's as easy as you say it is." Jane sighed heavily.

"Can't you try? For me?" Elizbeth pleaded.

"I think I should go to Thurston, make sure that Longbourn is still standing. I just need to check in for a few days, talk things over with this manager I've hired and go from there. I think a few days apart is what we all need. It'll give us all some breathing room." Jane replied.

Elizabeth nodded, feeling nothing but disappointment that she couldn't change Jane's mind about not going back to Thurston. But in a way, she knew that she had to let her sister make this decision and she knew that they all needed some breathing space.

"If that's what you want." Elizabeth sighed.

Jane simply shrugged her shoulders.

"What I want is to have the ability to change the past. I wish that I could go back and prevent that fire so that dad wouldn't have rushed back into the B&B to save Lydia. I wish I could go back to that night and stop Lydia from sneaking out in the first place. If I could our dad wouldn't have died, Lydia wouldn't have gone off the rails and met that predator and nearly killed herself. She wouldn't have needed to leave school and relocate, and you wouldn't have met Wickham and been through all of this!" her sister cried, her voice breaking.

She felt her eyes fill with tears as she noted how much pain her sister was in. But having the ability to change the past was impossible. Everything that had happened to them over the last two years was part of their lives.

"Jane, none of it was your fault. Or mine. Or Lydia's. Or Will's. Jamie Smith and Wickham are evil, twisted men who are going to be punished. I just hope we won't be waiting much longer." Elizabeth said bravely.

Her sister nodded her agreement and the two of them shared a hug, letting out the tears that needed to be let out.

"I just hate seeing you like this Lizzy." Jane muttered, sniffing through her nose, "You just seem like you're in an empty void, not knowing how to carry on or get out of it."

"That's a good summary." Elizabeth replied, closing her eyes as she heard her sister let out a light laugh in her ear.

Jane released her and the two met the other's eyes; both red and puffy from crying.

"I just hate feeling useless. I am so afraid of something happening to you or Lydia and I'm not here full-time."

"I know. I feel useless right now, I'm scared of the unknown, I wish I could change things too sometimes."

Both the sisters shared a moments silence, as if silently understanding each other that there was a lot that they all needed to work through if they were going to have a new beginning they all wanted desperately. Elizabeth sometimes wished she could change some of the things in her past, she wished she could have prevented Caroline from calling Oscar because if the meddling cow had minded her own business then Oscar wouldn't have come to Portsmouth with the hope of reuniting with her and thus wouldn't have been murdered by an obsessed, jealous man.

"I think I'm going to go home for the weekend, give you and William that time alone you need. I'll check in with you and Lydia and tell you what I've discussed with the manager. Then we can come up with a way so that we all get some space but still be there for each other." Jane suggested.

"Okay, but don't be a stranger." Elizabeth ordered.

Jane gave a small, assuring smile.

"I won't." her sister promised.

Before anymore could be said between the two of them, there was a knock at the door. Maddie came through from the dining room, crossing the living and stepping out into the hall before pulling open the front door.

"DC Parsons, what are you doing here?" Maddie asked with a surprised tone.

Both sisters stood up from the sofa, walking out to join their aunt in the hall. Sure enough, DC Parsons stood in the doorway with a blank expression on her face.

"My apologies for the disruption but may I come in? There is something you need to be informed about, Miss Bennet." The police offer stated.

Looking at each other, the three women stepped to one side and allowed DC Parsons to enter the house, with Maddie closing the door behind her.

ooOoo

Later that evening, Will and Elizabeth were curled up in bed together watching some stand-up comedy show on Netflix on the TV that Will had bought a few weeks ago. She sighed happily against her boyfriend's chest, causing Will to lift the TV remote and mute it before looking down at her.

"Everything okay?" Will asked.

Elizabeth looked up at him, lifting her head and supported it underneath her hand.

"This is just what I needed after today." Elizabeth replied quietly.

Will smiled, running a hand through her wavy hair.

"How are you feeling? After everything?"

If she were going to be honest, she was left feeling angry after the visit from DC Parsons. The police officer had informed them that while Shane Wickham had pleaded guilty to kidnap, possessing a firearm, aiding and abetting to the murder of Oscar and attempting to murder Sarah and would be sentenced in the next two weeks without the need of a trial, George Wickham's trial had been delayed because the judge had ruled that he needed a psychological assessment to be carried out first.

"I'm disappointed that I have to wait so long to see him get locked away for good, but I know he's locked up awaiting trial and an assessment. At least his father pleaded guilty, I just have no idea why he would." Elizabeth said.

"He'll get what he deserves. It wouldn't surprise me if he pleaded insanity, he'll do anything to avoid facing the consequences of his actions." Will said angrily.

"There's nothing you can do, Will. I need you to stay calm and let the police deal with it-"

"It's not easy for me, Lizzy. It's one thing that some independent journalists want to use your ordeal as part of their documentary, that made me angry. But now, to hear that Wickham is using every last excuse he can think of to avoid going to trial…that makes me livid…I can't just stay calm…it's hard." Will sighed.

"I know. Don't you think I'm upset? At the rate I'm going, breaking down every five minutes, Maddie is going to need some new t-shirts." Elizabeth said softly.

"I just want to get you through this. I just want them to be punished for what they did to you." Will growled.

"I know, but honey-"

Will blinked in confusion as he looked at her, a small smile appearing on his face.

"What?" Elizabeth asked shyly.

"That's the first time you've called me that." Will noted warmly.

Elizabeth let out a light laugh, realising he was right. It was the first time she had used a term like this for him before.

"It just came out…"

Will grinned at her, leaning forward to capture her lips with his own.

"I'm not complaining…" he breathed against her lips, breaking off the kiss.

She ran her hands through his hair, sharing a warm smile with her boyfriend. In those few seconds, the bad news that she'd had didn't matter, all that mattered was the two of them. For the first time in weeks, in those brief few seconds, Elizabeth felt slightly normal.

"But seriously…how are you feeling?" Will asked.

"I'm still angry and I'm upset about the whole trial thing. I'm on awkward terms with my sister. But today, with you… it's been just what I needed. I needed the distraction of spending the day with you." Elizabeth said softly.

"Anytime, Lizzy. It's what I'm here for and now we've got an entire weekend of doing whatever you need." Will assured her.

Elizabeth bit her lip nervously. What she wanted was to make the most of her time with Will. It had been weeks, with Jane's constant hovering and her nightmares she and Will hadn't been able to have some time alone together. But now, here they were in his house with no-one to disturb them. Leaning forward, she captured his lips and kissed him hungrily, straddling him and sitting over him. Will sat up, wrapping one arm around her waist while the other combed through her hair as he matched the hungry pace of the kiss. She moaned in pleasure as she felt his arousal becoming more and more evident underneath her, letting out a squeal of surprise as Will flipped them over so she was on her back.

Will broke away from her mouth, moving his lips down her neck, his hands reaching for the hem of the t-shirt she had nicked out of his drawers. He pulled the t-shirt up over her head and threw it to the floor, moving his lips back to her neck as he cupped her breasts in his hands. Elizabeth closed her eyes, feeling breathless as she felt him teasing her.

"You are so gorgeous." Will whispered huskily in her ear.

"Will…" she breathed, her breath catching as his lips travelled down her neck and along her collarbone.

She let out a cry of pleasure as he moved his attention to her breasts, smiling to himself at the sounds that were escaping her lips.

"I've missed that sound…"

Elizabeth froze.

 _"I can't wait to hear what sounds you make. I wonder if you like it rough? I bet you do…"_

Her eyes opened and she pushed Will off her, breathing faster and faster, finding it difficult to regulate it. Fear was threatening to take her in, her memory flashing back to the basement of the nightclub where Wickham whispered all of his sick fantasies about her, had whispered all of his sick innuendos and plans for her. Will looked at her, confused.

"Lizzy…are you okay?" Will asked carefully.

All she could do was shake her head, she was far from okay. A fresh batch of tears came and she sobbed into his chest as he held her close. She hated this, the first chance at having some privacy with her boyfriend in weeks and the minute things started heating up, she bolted. All because Wickham was inside her head.

"Lizzy, its okay. I'm here." Will whispered soothingly.

"I'm such a mess." She cried croakily.

"We'll get you through this." Will promised.

She looked up at him through wet, puffy eyes and sniffed. She couldn't understand why he hadn't bolted. She was a right mess. Nightmares, panic attacks, unable to get Wickham out of her mind when she wanted to be intimate with Will and he still wasn't running.

"I'm sorry-"

Will cupped her face and looked at her sternly.

"Don't apologise, you have nothing to be sorry for!"

"Why do you put up with me?"

His forehead bumped against hers, his expression soft and his breath warm as it hit her face.

"I love you, Lizzy. I'm not _putting_ up with you, I'm with you because I can't imagine my life without you and I don't want to live without you."

Wrapping her arms tightly around his neck, Elizabeth sniffed deeply as the tears fell down her cheeks, wishing that she could get Wickham out of her mind sooner rather than later.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** I know this chapter was supposed to come last week but as I said if you've read last week's update of WDTA, I've been unwell. Chapter four will come in a fortnight, I'm afraid I have to get last minute things done for Christmas and start posting Winter Surprises.

Enjoy!

 **Chapter Three**

The lunch time rush had just ended, the shoppers all eagerly leaving the café to enjoy the sunshine. The only downside about working in the shopping centre was that she was trapped inside on a nice day like this. Picking up the bottle spray and a damp cloth, Lydia walked out from behind the counter and started clearing the tables. She put the dirty trays on the trolley, spraying the liquid from the bottle on to the tables before wiping it away with the cloth, smiling to her colleague Kerry as she saw the older girl help her.

"So, how have you found your first week?" Kerry asked.

In her first week on the job, she had to say she loved working at Boswell's. She was constantly kept busy, the only quieter periods during the day tended to be before ten in the morning, after the lunch time rush and just before closing time at six in the evening. The people she worked with varied in age, but she had been partnered up with Kerry who was acting as her mentor during her training period. Kerry was nice, she had a thick Birmingham accent where it was difficult to understand her when she talked fast, but she was perfectly nice; even if her mentor was occasionally teased for her flaming red hair.

"I've loved it so far." Lydia replied with a smile.

"Let's hope it stays that way for you. Many people get bored easily." Kerry warned.

"I guess it's a good thing I'm only part-time." Lydia said brightly.

"I suppose. What do you make of the new guy?"

Lydia looked over her shoulder at the newest member of staff to start today. His name was Jimmy and if she had to guess, he was only a little bit older than her. He was tall, it had been handy having him around during the lunch rush when they needed him to get from stock from the stock room, only so many of the staff at Boswell's could reach the top shelves. If anything from her initial observations of her new colleague it was that he was quiet but fast-paced.

"He seems alright. Why is he wearing long sleeves in this weather?"

"Has a tattoo on his arm. Management are very strict on appearance here. If you have visible tattoos they will do their best to make you cover them while you're on shift."

"Is that even allowed?" Lydia asked with a frown.

Kerry nodded, placing a tray on the trolley and wiped down two tables that were close together.

"It's company policy, management have to enforce it. Even if it's only a tiny tattoo of someone's name on your wrist, they'll make you wear long sleeves." Kerry replied.

"What if you have a tattoo somewhere you can't conceal it with sleeves?" Lydia asked curiously.

"Then you'll be stuck in the kitchen, away from the front." Kerry said, shrugging her shoulders.

"Seems a bit harsh…"

"I think the people who wrote the company policy prefer their staff to look professional and tattoos, because, in their eyes, don't mix well with the customers."

As she contemplated what other policies the company had regarding personal issues of staff members, she took the now full tray trolley and wheeled it behind the counter and into the kitchen, handing it over to Ian the pot washer. When she got back to behind the counter, she saw that Kerry had nearly finished clearing and cleaning the tables and that Jimmy was struggling with the till system.

"You need a hand with something?" Lydia asked.

"Just getting familiar with the till system, but thanks for the offer." Jimmy replied.

"I'm Lydia, I started last week." She introduced.

"Jimmy. At least I'm not the only newbie." He laughed nervously.

"Yeah, it's nice knowing you're in the same boat with some people." Lydia commented.

"So, what's your story?" Jimmy asked.

Lydia bit her lip. What was her story? Her mother left her when she was one, raised by her dad and sisters until the age of fourteen when she snuck out to a party and her father rushed back into a house fire thinking she was sleeping inside. Then her father died, she went on a downward spiral of blaming herself for her dad dying and ended up being abused, raped and controlled by a sexual predator who pimped her out to his friends. Not to mention the attempted suicide, bullying by her former best friends, moving to a new city to start afresh only to have her older sister kidnapped by a psycho.

 _Yeah, I'm not even going to give him the dramatic story._ She thought to herself.

"I've just finished year eleven, I start sixth form in September. You?"

"About to start my second year of A Levels at South Downs. It's quite a good sixth form college. So, do you start at South Downs? Portsmouth or Highbury?"

"None. I'm attending sixth form at Rosings Park School." Lydia replied.

She saw the look on his face change from interest in talking to her to immediately making assumptions because she happened to attend a private school.

"Oh. So, what's a rich girl doing working in a café?" Jimmy questioned.

"Rich girl?" Lydia snapped.

"What? It's a valid question. If you attend Rosings Park School then clearly you're used to luxury-"

"Good start to the job, Jimbo," Kerry interrupted, joining the two of them behind the counter, "First day and you've insulted a fellow newbie."

"Do you have to call me Jimbo?" he asked.

"Yup. Everyone has a nickname." Kerry informed them.

"I'm just saying…if you go to Rosings then your family must be well off. Unlike the rest of us who weren't born with a silver spoon in our mouths."

Lydia picked up one of the fresh cloths and started wiping down surfaces. This is what she hated about people, instantly judging her because of her circumstances. Jimmy had immediately assumed that she was some spoiled rich girl who didn't even need to have a part-time job. Immediately he had thrown her into the stereotype, just like her former best friends had thrown her into the stereotype of being a prostitute when Jamie Smith had taken advantage of her and exploited her for his own gain, controlled her and nearly ruined her life. It had been just over a year since she had escaped Jamie's clutches, having reached rock bottom and with the support of her sisters she had tried so hard to change. She learned how to deal with her guilt, now she knew that her sisters didn't secretly blame her or hate her for their father dying. And while she hadn't exactly been happy when Elizabeth and Jane had made the decision for her to start over in Portsmouth, it had turned out to be the best thing for her. She was getting back on track with her life, she was cautious and thoughtful and had matured, she had a great group of true friends who were there for her. Lydia felt proud of herself that she was turning her life around and learning to deal with situations, even if she had been through a lot in the past two years.

Kerry disappeared into the office when the three of them heard the shift manager calling her name, leaving Lydia alone behind the counter with Jimmy.

"You never answered my question." Jimmy reminded her.

"Oh right, the one where you labelled me a 'rich girl' and assumed I didn't need a job?" Lydia questioned.

Jimmy blinked, the air between them becoming a little thick and tense.

"Well…Rosings is a private school and the fees are extortionate. Clearly your family must be well off if you've just finished secondary education there and are starting further education there." He pointed out.

"You shouldn't just make assumptions about people. It's rude. And frankly, it doesn't say much about you either." Lydia said defensively.

"Jesus! I'm sorry."

But before she could say anything more on the subject, Kerry appeared behind them and cleared her throat.

"Mike says you can go home early if you want to, Lyds." Kerry informed her.

Seeing no reason why she shouldn't, Lydia untied her apron and walked through to the back office. Finding her clocking card, she swiped it down the side of the clocking machine and heard that beep that was becoming familiar to her, indicating she had been successful clocked out of her shift. Hanging up her apron, she walked into the staff room and opened her locker, pulling out her bag and left the café.

ooOoo

"How about we start with how your week has been?" Dr. Richardson asked.

Elizabeth fidgeted in the chair, trying to get comfortable as she cleared her throat to answer Dr. Richardson's question. The one thing she didn't like about therapy was opening herself up to an NHS professional who could deem it necessary to place her in a mental health unit. But it was crucial to getting better, as much as it made her uncomfortable, she needed to get back to who she was instead of being the broken mess she currently was.

"It's been a hard week. I snapped at Jane because she's constantly hovering over me, so I left the house but then I got scared when Will chased me down the street. And when I got back home after spending an afternoon with Will, Jane and I argued. She's gone back to Longbourn to give us all a bit of space, she told me that she's scared of leaving me alone with Will and I think she blames him for what happened." Elizabeth rambled.

Dr. Richardson gave her a small smile as she made a few notes on her clipboard.

"Did you have a panic attack when you left the house?" the doctor asked.

"No…but I got scared and I cried…" Elizabeth sighed.

"It's a good start. You pushed yourself to get out of the house and your anxiety didn't push you into having a panic attack. That's excellent progress, Elizabeth."

"I still cried."

"What you have been through is going to take time to come to terms with completely. For the past two months you have feared going outside because you don't know if there is danger awaiting you. But you left your house without panicking. What did you end up doing when you left the house?" Dr. Richardson asked.

"Will helped me to calm down, assured me I wasn't a failure. But I feel like one…"

"We'll get to that. Tell me how you spent the afternoon." Dr. Richardson encouraged her.

"We spent the afternoon round his house. We had lunch, played Mario Kart and had a nap." Elizabeth replied.

"I'm really pleased that you managed to spend an afternoon with William. Did you enjoy yourselves?" Dr. Richardson asked.

"Yeah. It was nice, I felt slightly normal for a few hours and I slept quite well." Elizabeth said.

"And how was the rest of the day spent?"

"After we woke up we agreed to spend the night at his and he dropped me off home for a little while. When I got home I saw that Jane had packed her bags and announced that she was going back to Longbourn to give us all some space."

"And how did you feel, knowing your sister wanted to go away?"

"I felt…disappointed. Upset, I guess. I thought we could talk it through and we argued a bit, she wanted to drag Lydia home with her, but Lydia had refused to go. And when I told her that I just needed some space to have some time alone with Will, she snapped and said that she couldn't leave me alone with Will because of what happened."

Dr. Richardson nodded, looking back at her clipboard before meeting Elizabeth's worried stare.

"I'd like to arrange a joint session with both your sisters in a fortnight, I think it would be beneficial to check in with Jane and Lydia, start to help them heal, if you're agreeable?"

"I think there's a lot we all need to talk about." Elizabeth agreed.

"I'll give Jane a call later today. Now, tell me more about your time with William." Dr. Richardson encouraged.

So, she told the doctor everything (as much as she could without going into too much detail about her private life with William), how she felt like she was normal for a little while, how she had been hurt and angry that Wickham wasn't being sentenced straight away because he was undergoing a psychological assessment first, how she had tried to be intimate with Will and have thrown back at her because she had another Wickham flashback. Dr. Richardson nodded understandingly, writing some more notes on her clipboard until their eyes met again.

"Elizabeth, you have been through a really traumatic ordeal. You were kidnapped, held captive, taunted, threatened, forced to listen to disturbing wishes of the person who kidnapped you. You then found out that your ex-boyfriend was murdered in the same room that you were being held captive and watched as another hostage was shot. The nightmares, flashbacks, panic attacks, it's a normal side effect of what has happened and there are things we can do to minimize them, and eventually, hopefully, stop them completely." Dr. Richardson explained.

"It still feels like I'm failing…" Elizabeth sighed.

"But you're not failing. You've been through a lot in a relatively short amount of time. Take comfort and pride in how you're coping. You managed to step outside your home and walk down the street without having a panic attack. You spent an entire weekend with your boyfriend, outside the place you live." Dr. Richardson said warmly.

"Everything is such a mess. I'm a mess."

"You're not a mess. It's going to take some time and we'll start with baby steps to get you through this. Now, I'd like you to think about some things."

"What's that?" Elizabeth asked.

"Firstly, I want you to remember the breathing exercises we went through in the first few weeks of your sessions with me. Whenever you feel stressed or anxious, try one of those exercises to help you calm down." Dr. Richardson instructed.

"Right."

"Secondly, I want you to remember that you have people who believe in you, even if you are finding it hard to feel confident and believe in yourself. Don't put yourself down so quickly. If something happens where you feel like you're failing. Stop what you're doing, breathe, talk to someone, move on and try again another time."

Elizabeth nodded, knowing it was easier said than done to get her confidence back.

"And finally, I want you to think back on your experiences with William, particularly the happier ones. In terms of intimacy, you know what makes you both comfortable and what makes you uncomfortable. Confide in him about your fears, let him help you so the two of you can find your time together more enjoyable."

Elizabeth nodded at the doctor's instructions, taking in what she had been told. It was going to take some time, baby steps, she knew that.

"Okay, I'll try." Elizabeth said quietly.

"Good. Now next week, do you think William would come to a session with you?" Dr. Richardson asked.

Elizabeth nodded, knowing that Will would come to a session if he was needed.

"Bring William along to the next session, I think it's time we start talking to the two of you about your ordeal. You all need a chance to talk about it and come to terms with it all."

Rising from their seats, Elizabeth shook Dr. Richardson's hand and left her office. Outside in the waiting room she saw Maddie look up from reading one of the magazines, smiling at her.

"How did it go?" her aunt asked.

"It's therapy. She wants me to try a few things and see how the week goes before our session next week." Elizabeth replied.

"It will help you, I'm sure of it." Maddie said encouragingly, putting the magazine to one side and standing up from her chair.

The two women left the office, walking through the corridors of the hospital until they reached the exit and headed for Maddie's car. As Elizabeth climbed in and buckled her seatbelt, she took a deep breath and hoped that Dr. Richardson was right, that with some time and taking baby steps, she would get through this.

ooOoo

Sitting on her bed, Lydia felt her heart beat faster in her chest, in anticipation of what she was going to read. Tearing open the envelope, she saw the logo for the Crown Prosecution Service on the top of the letter.

It was what she had been waiting months for, something that she had been dreading. And now it was finally written on the piece of paper she held in her hands. She was glad that it had been sent directly to her, having updated her address to state she lived in Portsmouth on a full-time basis now. She read through the letter, noting the formality of it and how it didn't offer any comfort for what she had been through at the hands of Jamie. But she finally had a date.

 _Mr. James Smith has requested an appeal...this appeal will be held at Ipswich Crown Court on the 20th July at 11am…_

Her eyes continued to scan over the letter several times, taking in the date and time of the appeal. In a few weeks, she would find out if Jamie would be released from prison or if he would have his appeal denied and his sentence increased. From the look of the letter, she wouldn't have to attend the appeal, it was entirely optional, but they were requesting that she submit a victim's statement to the court. From the letter, she also understood that her family support worker who had worked on the case when Jamie had been arrested would soon be in touch with them.

She heard the front door open and then close again, the voices of Maddie and Elizabeth filling the downstairs of the house. Opening the drawer to her bedside table, Lydia shoved the letter inside and closed it before heading downstairs.

"Ah, you finished work early?" Maddie asked.

Lydia nodded with a smile.

"Yeah, my boss offered for me to go home because I started first," She replied, "How did therapy go, Lizzy?"

"It went alright I guess. Dr. Richardson wants you and Jane to come to a session in a fortnight if you're able to get the time off work?" Elizabeth asked.

"I haven't got my schedule yet but if you let me know what day Dr. Richardson wants to hold the session then I'll talk to my boss." Lydia replied.

"Thanks, Lydi. I know how hard it must be on you…I really appreciate what you all are doing for me." Elizabeth said quietly, hugging her tightly.

As Lydia returned her sister's hug, she heart rate continued to race. She knew that she should tell her family that she finally had the letter through, but Elizabeth was in a bad place after her ordeal with Wickham. And she decided she would tell them about the appeal date…but not today. Not when her sister had just gotten home from a therapy session. And Jane had gone back to Longbourn to check on the B&B, with things between her two sisters still a little awkward.

Thanks to George Wickham, her family were hanging by a thread. And today, the last thing she wanted was to add to the anxiety of everything.

 _I'll tell them in a few days._

Lydia silently decided, hoping that in a few days her head would be able to process the fact that Jamie was going to appeal in a few weeks time.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Apologies for the lateness in updating. But here is chapter four and chapter five will come hopefully in a week.

Enjoy!

 **Chapter Four**

The first week of July was upon them and the warm weather still remained but Lydia hadn't been able to enjoy the warmth and the sunshine as much as she would have liked to. While she was glad that she was working, earning her own wages, having a job meant she didn't have as much free time but she hoped that soon she would get used to the balance of work. Sadly, it didn't seem her family troubles would be over any time soon.

"You've known about this for a few days and you're only telling us now?" Jane yelled down the phone.

Lydia tried not to roll her eyes, having just explained for the fourth time to her eldest sister why she had only just told the family about Jamie's appeal date. It had been a difficult few days for their family following Elizabeth's latest therapy session. Jane was being difficult about her 'spare time' to come down to Portsmouth to attend a family therapy session that Dr. Richardson wanted them to do together and was insisting that Longbourn needed her right now. So that had ended up with Lydia arguing with Jane about the importance of Elizabeth healing after her ordeal. And then Elizabeth had been informed by DC Parsons that the psychiatrist who was scheduled to carry out a mental health assessment on George Wickham was severely ill, so the assessment had been pushed back a few weeks and then the next day there had been a report on the news that the owner of the former nightclub where Oscar had been murdered, where Sarah and Elizabeth had been held captive was getting torn down. So, on top of Elizabeth feeling frustrated that her kidnapper was still awaiting a mental health assessment and unsure of how she felt over the nightclub getting torn down, Jane being stubborn and Lydia arguing with Jane about said stubbornness, she had decided to wait before dropping another bombshell, she felt that they all needed some time to process it. Until Maddie had been cleaning and found the letter under her bed.

"I'm not going over this again, Jane. I've just told you four bloody times why I didn't tell you until now." Lydia argued.

Having her sister on the speakerphone wasn't exactly helping matters. She had planned on telling them when Jane had agreed to come down for a few days, that way she could have at least told her family about the appeal with all of them present and ahead of their scheduled therapy session.

"Well it just goes to show how irresponsible you are. Clearly you are still a child if you're hiding something this important from us." Jane scolded.

"Takes one to know one." Lydia accused.

She could feel the tense atmosphere as Maddie and Elizabeth looked at Lydia sharply, as if surprised that she would do that to Jane. Lydia took a breath, as did Jane and waited for her sister to reply.

"What's that supposed to mean, Lydi?" Jane demanded.

"You're trying to use Longbourn as an excuse not to attend a therapy session with Lizzy. If that isn't childish then I don't know what is." Lydia replied calmly.

Jane remained silent for a few minutes until she coughed and cleared her throat. Lydia could feel Maddie and Elizabeth holding their breath, as if unsure of what to say to make the situation a little better.

"Let me check the diary and sort out the management of this place and I'll get back to you both about the therapy session. We'll talk more about this appeal later!" Jane stated stubbornly.

Maddie clicked the end button on the phone and placed it back in its holder before the three of them sat together.

"I appreciate why you didn't tell me straight away Lydia, but I still need to know about these things." Elizabeth said calmly.

"I know. I was going to tell you, but I wanted Jane to be here first because I thought it would be better coming out face to face. After the last few days, there didn't seem to be a right time, so I decided to wait." Lydia sighed.

"And that's nice you were thinking of your sisters," Maddie added, "But keeping things a secret from each other is exactly what these monsters want. Wickham would certainly get a kick out of it all if he knew how divided you all seem to be."

Lydia nodded sadly. This is what she hated the most about the aftermath of Elizabeth's ordeal. She knew that her sister had a long way to go to come to terms with her ordeal, just as she had when she had been through hers, but it was the divide she hated the most. Elizabeth wasn't the person she used to be, not that Lydia blamed her, and Jane either wanted to be the one to do everything or flee at the first sign of confrontation. The three of them were all each other had left after being abandoned by a woman who never wanted them in the first place and a father who had been so devoted to them but had died nearly two years ago. As she thought about her dad, she dreaded to think what he would have to say to the three of them if he were able to have an opinion on everything that had happened in the past two years.

"I'm really sorry I didn't tell you sooner, Lizzy." Lydia apologised quietly.

Elizabeth let out a sigh before giving her a small smile, taking hold of her hand and giving it a light squeeze. Lydia returned her sister's smile, taking it as a sign that Elizabeth wasn't too angry with her.

"It's done now, I know you thought it was the best thing to leave it for a few days but in future, don't hide these things from me. It doesn't matter if I'm dealing with a lot right now, it doesn't matter if I'm a bit broken or a bit stressed or a bit upset. It doesn't matter if the world is on the verge of collapse. You're my sister, I'm your guardian and I love you. You tell me and I'm there for you. Just like you're there for me through all this." Elizabeth said quietly.

"What are we going to do about Jane?" Lydia asked.

"I don't know." Elizabeth replied honestly.

"Leave your sister to me and your uncle. We'll sort her out." Maddie promised.

Lydia nodded.

"Okay." She agreed, knowing that Jane needed some time to calm down.

Perhaps it was best if Maddie and Ed dealt with Jane, not that she knew if her aunt and uncle could help the situation, but it seemed like the better option rather than Elizabeth or herself trying to get through to Jane.

"Right we've got a busy day ahead. I need to start my admin work. Lydia, go and get ready for work and get going or you'll be late for your shift. Lizzy, you'd better get ready as your lovely boyfriend will be here to pick you up for therapy soon." Maddie instructed.

"Let me know how it goes later with Will, Lizzy. Good luck with therapy today." Lydia requested.

Elizabeth nodded.

"I will." Elizabeth promised.

Getting up from her seat, Lydia exited the living room and climbed the stairs to go to her bedroom to get ready for work, hoping that her work day would go more smoothly than her family life was currently going.

ooOoo

Stepping outside of the hospital into the warm afternoon sun, Elizabeth pulled her sunglasses down from the top of her head to cover her eyes. As far as therapy sessions went, this time she felt that she needed to spend a bit of time with Will, slowly stepping out of her current comfort zone.

"How are you feeling?" Will asked, taking hold of her hand.

The two of them walked across the carpark to pay for their stay at the ticket machine. Will pulled out his loose change and put it in the machine before pulling out the ticket they needed to exit.

"I'm alright I guess." Elizabeth replied quietly.

Will raised an eyebrow as they walked over to his car, unlocking it and they both climbed into the front seats.

"Lizzy, what Dr. Richardson said…don't feel pressured into forcing our sex life back. I can wait as long as you need, as long as you want." He promised.

Elizabeth met his gaze. She hated that Wickham was in her head, that his little sick whispers of what he wanted to know about her, what he wanted to do to her prevented her from resuming her sex life with Will. They had only had sex once since her release from the mental health unit after she had been rescued and even then, she had only been able to go through with it by being over him. She wanted more than anything to resume that side of their relationship and she was determined not to let Wickham control her life for much longer.

The two of them buckled their seatbelts and Will turned the key in the ignition to start the car. She watched as Will pulled out of their space and headed towards the exit, his window opening so he could place the ticket into the machine that let them out of the carpark. But before he could turn left to make their journey back to his house, she placed her hand on his thigh.

"I don't want to go back to yours just yet." Elizabeth said.

Will frowned.

"Do you want me to drop you at yours then?" he asked.

Elizabeth shook her head.

"Then where?"

"Turn right. I want to spend some time with you somewhere else."

Will nodded at her request, exiting the carpark and taking a right turn, following her instructions as to where she wanted him to take her.

ooOoo

Finishing off the burgers they had bought from the burger van, Will scrunched up his napkin and held it in his hand as he leaned backwards on his arms to take in the view. Their afternoon was turning out to be way better than either of them had planned. The original plan after attending the therapy session at the hospital with Dr. Richardson had been to have lunch at his place and watch a film together before taking her back hers and having dinner with Maddie and Ed. So, when she had said that she wanted to do something different, he had been surprised. But he obliged and drove them to the top of Portsdown Hill, stopping at the viewpoint to take in the views of the city, watching as one of the naval ships left the dockyard and pointing out different places to her that held a special memory of his time as a boy with his parents. This was definitely better than what they had originally planned.

And Elizabeth seemed at ease. She didn't seem tense as she listened to his stories about his childhood, she relaxed next to him as they ate a burger for lunch. He knew that she felt pressured into resuming their sex life, especially after Dr. Richardson suggested they talk about what they liked or disliked to try and present an openness between them, but Will was patient. No sex wasn't a deal-breaker for him. He had gone five years without it for crying out loud after he had discovered Sarah's betrayal. And while Will wanted to be able to resume that part of their relationship, her feelings and thoughts were more important to him. He loved her and wanted to be with her, to help her through what had been a terrifying ordeal.

"This is bliss." Elizabeth said happily.

"For once rather peaceful. Usually there's a lot of people up here." Will replied.

"Thank you, for bringing me here."

Will smiled, cupping her cheek as he scooted closer to her.

"No need to thank me, Lizzy. Spending time with you is what matters to me."

Elizabeth nodded, resting her head on his shoulder. The two of them sat in silent, the only sounds were the cars that drove on the road behind the viewpoint carpark and the sound of the light wind brushing through the grass and the trees that surrounded them. He rested his head on top of hers, wrapping an arm securely around her shoulders.

"Will?" she muttered.

"Yeah?"

She looked up at him, her eyes filled with uncertainty.

"I love you. But I would understand if this was too much for you."

Will cupped her cheek again, leaning in closer and brushed his lips against hers lightly.

"This isn't too much for me. I don't have any deal-breakers when it comes to you." He whispered reassuringly.

"Are you sure? We don't exactly have a normal relationship right now…" she trailed off.

He kissed her again, lingering against her lips a little longer this time before pulling away. He kept his forehead against hers, needing them to feel close.

"Lizzy, this isn't your fault. We will get through this at your pace and do things when you are ready to them…not because you feel like I'm going to up and leave because we haven't had sex in a long time or because you're haunted by what that psycho did to you. We can take this at whatever pace you feel comfortable with and because you want to do so…not because you feel pressured." Will declared.

Elizabeth nodded, leaning up to capture his lips. Will reciprocated, continuing to hold her as their lips moved against each other's. When she pulled away, he kissed her forehead.

"I love you, Lizzy. Never forget that." he whispered.

He felt her nod against his chest as she snuggled into him. Holding her close to him, the two fell backwards on to the grass; looking up at the sky and looked at the shapes that the white clouds were taking.

ooOoo

The lunch time rush was drawing to a close when Lydia was asked if she wanted to go on her break. Taking off her apron and hanging it up, she went to get her bag from the office and then went to sit at the table in the far corner of the café where her friends had been sat for the last half an hour.

"Thanks for waiting for me guys." Lydia said warmly.

"We don't mind." Denny replied.

"I think this is the highlight to my day." Lydia groaned, pulling her sandwiches out of her bag.

"Things will get better soon." Georgiana said encouragingly.

"Will it? I'm hoping it will but it just seems that one thing after another is happening-"

"Lyds, it'll be fine. For all of us." Denny promised.

As Lydia unwrapped her sandwiches and was about to take the first bite, she stopped. Turning her head in the direction of two of her colleagues, a girl named Julia and Jimmy. Or Jimmy the idiot as she liked to call him.

"Did you hear about that nightclub getting torn down in Southsea? You know the one where those women were held captive?" Jimmy asked.

"It was in the news." Julia replied carelessly.

Lydia watched as her colleagues began clearing some of the tables, listening as she scrunched up the tinfoil in her hand that had been used to wrap her sandwiches.

"I heard that the bloke who murdered that doctor in there and held those women is a proper nutjob. Apparently, he dated both the women he kidnapped." Jimmy said chillingly.

"You know Jim, you gossip way more than any girl I know." Julia sighed.

"It's just crazy. Sure, Portsmouth has a high crime rate but that's mostly drunken brawls, theft and drug related crime. A murder and kidnap puts Portsmouth on the map a bit more."

"If you say so. Look Jimmy, the city has seen its fair share of murders and other horrific crimes and when these crimes happen, it makes us nervous. But take a moment to think about the victims eh?"

"Well one of those victims was stupid enough to get shot-"

Lydia coughed, throwing the tinfoil ball at Jimmy's face. She felt the rage brewing inside her, how dare he gossip about something he knew absolutely nothing about? How dare he try and get other people's thoughts on a subject that had nothing to do with him? It made her angry. Jimmy made her angry. The arsehole.

"HEY!" Jimmy yelled at Lydia.

"Something else you'd like to say about the matter? You seem to be some sort of expert on it." Lydia said sharply.

"You shouldn't eavesdrop-"

"And you shouldn't be talking about that murder and kidnappings. You have no idea what its like for them. Families have been torn apart because of that psycho. Lives have been ruined. The father of the psycho has been given a life sentence for taking part in those crimes and the psycho is due to be sent to trial that's all you need to know. Just keep your nose out of other people's business." Lydia warned.

"And who are you to tell me what to do?" Jimmy shouted.

Before Lydia could reply, the manager came out and demanded what was going on. Chucking the rest of her sandwich on the table, Lydia and Jimmy followed the shift manager into the office.

 _Just more shit to add to my day._

ooOoo

After she and Jimmy had been given a verbal warning for their argument earlier in the day, her shift manager had separated the two of them with Jimmy being put in the kitchen for the rest of the shift. Lydia remained on the front counter and waitressing, just keeping her head down after having the warning from her manager. She had luckily passed her trial period, the job was hers, but she felt disappointed with herself for arguing with Jimmy like that. But she couldn't help it. The boy infuriated her.

She looked up at the clock and saw she had ten minutes of her shift left, causing her to smile as she thought of spending the evening with Kit, Denny, Mary and Georgie at the cinema. Just as she picked up the cloth to wipe down the surfaces behind the counter, she heard Jimmy call her name.

"What do you want Jimmy?" Lydia asked, wishing he would just leave her alone.

"I'm sorry for earlier. I just get nervous around talking to people that I end up rambling on about news highlights or useless trivia and sometimes I say things that I don't mean." Jimmy apologised.

"The way you were gossiping…it sounded like you get a kick out of these kinds of things." Lydia accused.

"I don't. I'm just trying to fit in around here…"

"So why not ask people what hobbies they have? What their favourite colour is? If they support the local football team? Those are some good starters on getting to know people you work with."

"It's easier said than done. It's just me and my mum at home and ever since I was old enough to exert some independence, she's just let me do my own thing. She didn't teach me appropriate ways to socialise." Jimmy explained.

"Even so…the way you were talking about it so coldly…it doesn't exactly say much about you as a person. Have so compassion. Think about what the victims are feeling. I guarantee it's no picnic for them." Lydia stated.

Jimmy nodded.

"I seemed to have touched a nerve." He muttered.

She looked up at him. Yeah, it had touched a nerve. More than touched a nerve. It was her sister and her sister's ex-boyfriend who had been victims of George Wickham, along with her sister's boyfriend's ex-wife. It had been her best friend's brother and father who made them all victims. These were people who were family or close to her, so hearing Jimmy talk about the situation the way he had, it hadn't only irritated her. It made her angry and it made her upset.

"You did." she confirmed quickly.

"Why do you care so much?" Jimmy asked.

"Because I do."

Lydia wasn't about to divulge her connection about the crime Jimmy had been gossiping about. The last thing she wanted was for him to tell the rest of the Boswell's staff that her sister had been one of the victims. She wasn't ashamed of what her family had been through, it was more like feeling the need to protect her sister, her family and herself from more hurt and judgement.

"Just let it go, Jimmy." Lydia requested.

Giving her a stiff nod, Jimmy left the café and off into the shopping centre as Lydia put the dirty cloth into the pile of washing that needed to be done, hoping that things would start to look up for everyone soon.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** I know that I haven't updated for a while and I wish I had a good excuse as to why but I suppose I can only tell you lovely readers the truth. For the past eight years I have struggled with depression and I never can seem to catch a break. I know that life is hard but lately things have piled on top of me and it got to the point where I was so exhausted, not eating properly, not sleeping properly, feeling so anxious that I couldn't walk my daughter the two minutes across the road to take her to school, to having outbursts of anger one minute and then sobbing the next. It got to the point where I didn't want to go outside, I was making excuses not to meet up with friends or even meet my sister for our weekly lunch. Depression has been my constant struggle for the last eight years and I luckily recognised that I needed help quickly and dragged myself to the doctors where I was prescribed medication and set up with a counsellor.

And it's been nearly a month since I've been put back on my medication and slowly I'm finding motivation in myself again. I haven't been locking myself away and even today, I took my youngest to softplay which I haven't done for a long time with him. Small steps. And the reason I'm telling you readers this isn't for sympathy, it's to apologise for the lack of updates and hope that you'll understand and be patient with me as I get through a difficult time.

I hope you like this update.

 **Chapter Five**

Waking up would have been hard. Will knew that. But he hadn't even been to sleep properly, so he was silently asking himself if it was harder being unable to sleep on a day like today as opposed to waking up after a good night's sleep on a day like today.

Today.

The one-year anniversary of his dad losing the battle to cancer. One-year since he and Georgie had officially become orphans. One-year since he had had to step into the parenting role. One-year since he had taken over as the owner and boss of the family business.

One year. And it was bloody hard. And it bloody hurt.

But that's the thing with losing a loved one, the anniversaries will always come with each year that passes and he didn't have a clue whether it will get any easier. Will stretched his arms above his head before kicking back the covers and hauled himself out of bed. As he left his bedroom and stood on the upstairs landing, he heard a creek on the staircase. Looking upwards, he saw his sister sitting on the staircase outside their dad's bedroom. Years ago, when Georgie was too big to continue sharing a room with their parents and needed her own bedroom, his dad had paid for the loft to be converted into an extra bedroom which had been used as his parent's bedroom whilst Will had been moved into the former master bedroom, Alice into the smallest bedroom and Georgiana into the other. It had been that way for years, even after his mother passing away and it had just been his dad's room. And for the past year he hadn't stepped foot into the bedroom. Alice had picked out some suits for his father to be buried in on his behalf and he had chosen which one his dad should be buried in. But he knew that Georgiana had been in their dad's bedroom a few times in the months after their father had died but Will had never felt the urge to visit.

"Georgie?" Will asked, walking to the bottom of the staircase.

He heard his sister let out a sniffle, watching her as she wiped the tears away from her eyes. Their eyes met, and he saw the red in Georgie's as he felt the pain she had been trying to work through. He climbed the staircase, taking a seat on the step below where his sister sat and hugged her tightly.

"Will, does it ever get any easier?" Georgie mumbled through her tears.

"I wish I could tell you, Gee." Will sighed, feeling his own tears fall down his cheeks.

"It's not fair."

"I know."

What else could he tell her? How could he make it better? Those were questions he had been asking himself in the back of his mind for the last few weeks knowing that it wouldn't be long before the anniversary of their dad's death would be upon them. It was always going to be hard. And he hated that he couldn't make it better for either of them. So instead, he held his sister and cried with her, letting out the tears. Will didn't know how long they had been sitting on the stairs, he didn't really care, but when Georgiana pulled away from him, she wiped her eyes and sniffed.

"Have you been in his bedroom?" Will asked.

"Not yet. I was waiting for you to get up. I thought we could go in together, it still smells like dad in there." Georgiana replied.

"I don't know Gee-"

"Please. I think it would help us both get through this day a little easier."

Nodding his agreement, the two siblings stood to their feet and climbed the rest of the staircase, taking a breath before Georgiana opened the bedroom door and the two of them stepped inside the room. Will looked around the empty room, noting how it was exactly how their dad had left it the day he had moved into hospice care. But his sister had been right, the faint smell of their dad still lingered around the room. The smell of the soap that only their dad used, the faint smell of their dad's favourite aftershave with the bottle still half full sitting on top of the chest of drawers. Even their dad's few precious possessions still remained in the room, like the wood carving of their mother's favourite flower, painted delicately and a picture of their mother next to the carved flower, set into the wood. Will remembered when that had been made, their father had chosen the end of a log from the Forest of Bere as an anniversary present, having the carving made and then added the photo of their mother when she had died.

"It's going to be alright, Gee. Dad would be so proud of you." Will said encouragingly.

Georgiana let out another sniffle as Will wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"Would he? Be proud of me I mean?" she asked.

Will nodded.

"Of course, he would be. Look this year has been a bit…rough…for both of us. But look at how far you've come. You went through an attempted rape, attempted suicide and had a friend stop you. You accepted help, you got back into school and worked hard to do your GCSEs. You're looking for a part-time job when you don't even need to, you've got a great group of friends who look out for you. I'm proud of how sensible you've become after all of that." he said reassuringly.

Georgiana gave him a small smile.

"Thanks, Will." She whispered.

Will returned her smile and took one last look around the bedroom.

"Dad wouldn't want us to be sad about his passing, Georgie. He'd want us to celebrate his memory and I think Alice planned to make us his favourite breakfast this morning before we go to the grave. How does that sound?" Will asked.

"Cheese toasties? I can't remember the last time we ate those." Georgiana laughed.

"Neither can I."

With that, the two siblings left the bedroom and closed the door behind them, filled with happy memories of time they had spent with their father.

ooOoo

"Let's just get this over with." Jane grumbled.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes as she, Lydia and Jane rose from their seats and followed Dr. Richardson into her office. When her aunt and uncle had promised to sort Jane out, they had certainly made sure that Jane came to Portsmouth, although her sister was adamant about staying with Charles during her three day stay. So far, Jane had been closed off since her arrival in Portsmouth and things remained tense between the three of them. When they were in the office, Dr. Richardson closed the door behind them and they all took to the empty seats, twiddling their thumbs as they listened to Dr. Richardson ask Elizabeth some questions about how her week had gone. As Elizabeth recalled how she and Will had spent some time at the viewpoint together which Dr. Richardson praised as a step forward, she noticed how Jane rolled her eyes at the mention of Will.

"Jane, I notice that you have some feelings of hostility when your sister told us how she spent some time with William. Why is that?" Dr. Richardson asked.

"I don't like him." Jane replied stubbornly.

"Even now you're acting like a petty child." Lydia muttered.

"Says the child who hid the fact that her attacker finally has an appeal date!" Jane retorted.

"I told you four bloody times why I didn't tell you straight away!"

Dr. Richardson looked a little taken aback by the fighting between Lydia and Jane as Elizabeth looked at the doctor apologetically.

"Okay, let's take a few seconds to breath. Lydia, we'll come to you in a moment. Jane, why don't you like William?" Dr. Richardson asked delicately.

Jane refused to look at any of them, she simply stared at the wall behind Dr. Richardson.

"Lizzy knows why."

"Jane, please." Elizabeth pleaded.

But Jane still didn't look at her.

"Okay. Elizabeth, how do you feel knowing that your sister has some issues with your boyfriend?"

How did it make her feel? She knew that Jane had the right to dislike Will, after all you couldn't take a liking to every person you met in life. She knew that her sister disliked Will because she had confided in Jane about Will's insecurity about telling her he loved her, about a future with her because of his hurtful past with Sarah and she knew that her sister blamed Will for leaving her alone which had led to her being kidnapped by George and Shane Wickham. But the difference was that Will was trying to be a better boyfriend and it was like Jane refused to even see it.

"It bothers me," Elizabeth replied honestly, "Ever since I snapped at her for not giving me and Will some privacy and always hovering over my shoulder she's been like this and it's starting to upset me and piss me off quite frankly."

Her honesty made Jane change her focus from the wall directly to her and her sister looked angry.

"And you know why I don't like him, Lizzy. He can't commit to you, he couldn't even tell you that he loved you because of his ex-wife. He left you outside that restaurant alone when we had just been told that your ex-boyfriend had just been murdered right after Oscar visited you. It's William's fault that you were kidnapped!" Jane yelled.

"It wasn't Will's fault! Wickham…he's deranged…he would have found another way…he was watching me…" Elizabeth stammered defensively.

"And what if Wickham had found another way if Will hadn't left you alone? It would still be Will's fault…he ignored those notes from his ex-wife warning him that Wickham was plotting something." Jane accused harshly.

Elizabeth shook her head.

"Will believed Sarah was trying to get to him again, he never believed that she was trying to make up for what she had done to him in the past. And you aren't even giving him a chance, Jane. It fucking hurts that you can't just bite your tongue and try! He loves me, and I love him! He's been there for me through this whole thing even though I am a bloody mess right now! He has been so patient, so kind and understanding with me when most blokes would have run a fucking mile after what I've been through!" Elizabeth cried.

"And you can so easily let the past go?" Jane asked harshly.

Elizabeth took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.

"I thought I would never see him again. Or you two. I thought Wickham was going to hold me captive…the things he said to me Jane…the things he fantasized about me…you don't know what those hours were like for me…And Will is trying…I am trying…he is giving me the space I need, letting me take the lead instead of pressuring me. You just want to do everything for me!" Elizabeth replied tearfully.

"Because I'm scared! Is that what you want to know?" Jane shouted, standing from her chair and began to pace around the office, "I thought I was going to lose you, Lizzy! I'm not living with you or Lydia anymore and I can't protect either of you! I've failed you both!"

That surprised her. It surprised Lydia too given the shocked expression on her younger sister's face. Elizabeth wiped away a tear that escaped her eyes as she watched Jane sniff and wipe her own eyes. In all the time that had passed since their dad had died, since they had been through so much, Elizabeth never would have guessed that Jane felt like a failure.

"Jane, why do you feel like a failure?" Dr. Richardson asked softly.

"I couldn't…couldn't protect Lydia through her ordeal…I didn't even know what was happening to her…and when Lizzy…Lizzy when you were kidnapped…it was the same…thing all over again!"

Elizabeth's face softened as she felt a fresh stream of tears pour down her cheeks silently.

"Is that why…you've been so hostile?" Lydia questioned quietly.

Jane shrugged as she sobbed. Elizabeth got up from her chair and walked quickly over to her sister and wrapped her arms around her tightly. She felt her sister sob into her shoulder as Jane wrapped her arms around Elizabeth, returning the hug tightly and the two sisters stood there for a few minutes as the room fell silent. Feeling her heart break as she realised just how much Jane had been struggling, she knew that Jane was being so hostile and petty because her sister thought holding her and Lydia away at arms-length would be better because she felt like she couldn't protect the two of them.

When the two sisters pulled apart, they wiped their eyes and took a few deep breaths to calm down.

"Jane, it isn't your fault." Elizabeth insisted.

"It feels like I've failed as a sister…I didn't know what to do for either of you…then you both live so far away…I'm not around as much as I'd like to be…" Jane sniffed.

"Why don't the two of you sit down?" Dr. Richardson suggested.

Both nodded and sat back down in their seats but this time the three of them held hands as a sign of their support to each other.

"Jane, I'd like to refer you for some counselling at your local mental health unit in Bury St. Edmunds, I think you would benefit from some counselling when you're apart from Lydia and Elizabeth." Dr. Richardson said softly.

Jane nodded her agreement but said nothing, her eyes were starting to become red and puffy from crying.

"Elizabeth, you've stated that you don't blame Jane for your ordeal and Jane, feeling like a failure as a sister, blaming yourself for what your sisters have been through isn't healthy. From the sound of it, you've been isolating yourself from your sisters when you all need each other now more than ever." Dr. Richardson summarised.

The sisters nodded in unison and listened to Dr. Richardson's recommendations for Jane to deal with her feelings of guilt and blame before she moved on to asking Elizabeth how she now felt about Jane's confession. Elizabeth replied that she felt bad that Jane felt that way, that she didn't feel it was Jane's fault or Will's fault for her ordeal with Wickham. She told them all that she wanted to move forward and now that Jane's feelings and thoughts were out in the open, she hoped more than anything that they could start to put it all behind them. Once Jane nodded her agreement to try and make an effort and not push the two of them away, Dr. Richardson moved her focus to Lydia, asking the youngest sister about her thoughts and feelings on everything.

So, Elizabeth and Jane listened to their little sister, how Lydia felt torn and unsure of what the future held for her after everything. Lydia was worried about her GCSE results after everything that had happened, she was scared that Jamie would be released and be able to enact his terror on more girls or come after her for landing him in prison in the first place, how she wanted to help her sisters through this tough time but with Jane being hostile and petty and Elizabeth trying to cope with everything made her confused over what the right thing to do was.

"So, you hiding the letter really was because you were concerned?" Jane asked.

Lydia nodded.

"I wanted to tell you both when you came down to stay, Jane. I didn't tell you all straight away because it had been a tough few days for everyone and I didn't want to add another bomb to it all. You've been pushing us away, trying to act all parental with me and acting childish that it's pissing me off. And Lizzy, I'm not blaming you for being the way you are right now, I completely understand, I do, but I just didn't want to land something on you because I'm scared that if I do, it'll be my fault if you break." Lydia sighed.

"I appreciate that you're concerned about me, Lydi. But the only way I can get through this is if you're both honest for me, there for me. Hiding things from me when I want to be there for you won't do any of us any good." Elizabeth said quietly.

"What you have all been through is very traumatic and has left you all feeling confused, hurt, angry and a lot of other emotions where you're unsure of how to deal with them properly. I think we've made some groundwork here today and I think it's vital that we all continue this way." Dr. Richardson stated encouragingly.

The three sisters nodded their agreement and listened to Dr. Richardson's recommendations for going forward from their appointment today and the three sisters left the office and walked through the hospital together.

"So…" Lydia said, letting out a long breath.

Jane and Elizabeth nodded awkwardly. It was easier said than done to make progress but they all appeared to be on the same page with each other.

"Where do we go from here?" Elizabeth asked.

"How about I come down next weekend? It's dad's two-year anniversary next week." Jane suggested.

That had come around quickly. Two years since their dad had died from smoke inhalation. Two years since their B&B had burned down and they had to start from scratch to rebuild. It had been nearly a year since Elizabeth and Lydia had moved away from their family home to give Lydia a fresh start.

"I think that sounds nice." Elizabeth smiled.

"I've got the weekend off work anyway." Lydia replied.

Jane checked her watch.

"Maddie won't be here to pick us up for another twenty minutes, shall we go and grab a coffee? The hospital has a Costa."

Elizabeth nodded her agreement and three sisters walked in the direction of the coffee shop, hoping that this would be the way forward for them.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** I'm hoping to have chapter seven done soon but after that one it may take me a while to update my stories. Today I put down a holding fee on a new house so I will be looking to move in less than a month so that means I may be without internet for a while. But I hope you like the latest update.

Enjoy!

 **Chapter Six**

Tossing and turning in her bed, Lydia opened her eyes and let out a frustrated but quiet huff. Her head turned to her left, her brown locks in her face as she pulled the hair out of her eyes and stared at the digital alarm clock that sat on her bedside table; now telling her that the time was four-thirty-two in the morning. Reaching across the bedside table, she switched on the lamp and sat up a little in her bed, placing a pillow against the head rest to support her head. It had been one of those nights where sleep wasn't coming easy for her because two years ago to the day her dad had died from smoke inhalation.

As she let out a sigh of annoyance, Lydia rolled on to her back and stared up at the ceiling as the dimly lit lamp bathed the room in its glow. She remembered how they had gotten the news that the doctors thought their father would make a full recovery, only for the doctor's words to be wrong. She remembered the look on her father's face the last time she had seen him:

 _"You need to go home Lydi, it's getting late." Her dad instructed._

 _"Five more minutes, Lizzy is getting a tea from the vending machine. Besides, home isn't exactly home right now. We're living in the guesthouse." Lydia replied._

 _Her dad smiled at her, ruffling her wavy hair._

 _"We'll get it fixed up and running in no time. You'll have your old bedroom back and I'll even let you pick that horrible shade of red that you wanted for one wall when we redecorate."_

 _Lydia gave a light laugh at her dad's humourous mood, laying in a hospital bed and trying to make light of the situation._

 _"Dad, I'm really sorry that you're in." she muttered._

 _Her dad took hold of her hand, grasping it tightly which made her make eye contact with him._

 _"It isn't your fault Lydia."_

 _"It is! You rushed back in there…thinking I was in there…if I hadn't snuck out…"_

 _Her dad sighed and cupped her cheek, stroking away the tears that fell from her blue eyes. She had snuck out to that party. She had asked to go, and he had said that she couldn't, that her friends would just have to understand that she couldn't always go to their parties, that she was a teenager and had plenty of time for partying in the future. And after pretending to accept his words, she had disobeyed and had gone to the party anyway. And then someone had snuck into the kitchen to help themselves to some food, despite the staff only sign on the kitchen door, and had fiddled around with the oven and left the hob burning which had caught onto the tea towel that the guest had carelessly sat next to the burning hob. All the while another guest was having a sneaky cigarette in the lounge and had thrown it in a waste basket without putting it out. The whole B &B had gone up in flames. And despite everything that had happened, her dad hadn't once shouted at her or scolded her for disobeying him. For making him think she was in danger when really, she was safe at her friend's house. _

_"I'm just happy that you're all okay. We'll be fine. We'll rebuild Longbourn and I'll be home with you all in no time." Her dad promised._

 _Giving him a weak smile, she leaned across and hugged him; feeling her dad wrap an arm around her protectively before her sisters reappeared at the door._

 _"Time to go, Lydi." Jane said softly._

 _Letting go of her dad, she bade him goodnight and got up from the bed; walking around to join her sisters._

 _"Goodnight girls, I love you all."_

Thomas Bennet passed away in the middle of the night that night. Lydia still had that night pierced into her memory and replayed it over and over again. She remembered the frantic steps outside the bedroom she claimed as hers at the guesthouse, the sudden opening of the bedroom door and the quick flip of the light switch as Elizabeth yelled at her to get her shoes on. Being dragged out of the bed by Jane, she didn't even have time to register that the sun was yet to rise or that she had been disturbed from what had been a peaceful sleep. All she could see was that her sisters looked as white as a sheet and all they could tell her was that the hospital had called and asked them all to come in as a matter of urgency. And at the hospital it was confirmed to them that their dad was dead.

And she had blamed herself. The events that followed the funeral at the crematorium were her own fault. It had been because of her that their dad had thought she was still sleeping in a burning building and had rushed in to save her and had died as a result. It was because of her destructive streak that she had been abused by Jamie Smith and had a hate campaign started by two girls she had believed to be her best friends and it was because of her that her older sisters had made the decision for her to have a fresh start in Portsmouth in the first place. And while she now knew that Jane and Elizabeth didn't blame her for their father's death and while she had come to terms with not blaming herself, she wished more than anything that she could change the past two years.

Everything was still a mess. Following their therapy session, the three Bennet girls were agreeing to try and move forward. Jane had started therapy sessions at the local hospital in Bury St. Edmunds and Elizabeth was starting to slowly heal, her sister had reached out to Oscar's family and offered her apologies for their loss. Oscar's family had been divided on Elizabeth's apology, with Oscar's parents blaming her sister for the death of their son whilst Oscar's sister was grateful and didn't hold any hostility towards Elizabeth. Lydia could understand why Elizabeth reached out to her ex-boyfriend's family. She knew that her sister probably felt some sort of guilt for Oscar's death, although it hadn't been her fault, and part of her recovery was to try and talk to his family.

She didn't know how the day was going to go today. Jane was staying in Portsmouth for the weekend and was coming over in a few hours for breakfast with Charles and she guessed they would all discuss a way to celebrate their father's memory. At first, they had been unsure of what they should do on the anniversary, but they were all agreed that they shouldn't be upset and isolated, they agreed that they should all be together. After catching up with Georgiana who had gone through her own father's one-year death anniversary a week before theirs, Lydia mentioned to her sisters that they should celebrate their dad's memory just like Will and Georgie had done for their dad.

There was a light knock on her bedroom door which brought her out of her thoughts.

"Come in." Lydia said clearly, sitting up in her bed.

The bedroom door opened, and Elizabeth tiptoed inside, closing the door behind her before making her way over to Lydia's bed and sitting at the bottom end.

"I saw the light on through the gap under the bedroom door and guessed you couldn't sleep either?" Elizabeth asked.

Lydia nodded sadly.

"Can't stop thinking about dad." She replied sadly.

"Neither can I." Elizabeth sighed.

"This just sucks. Last week Georgie and Will had their dad's one year to deal with. Now we've got to deal with the second year since our dad passed away and next week I have Jamie's appeal to worry about."

"I know Lydi, there's a lot going on right now."

"The only upside is that having this weekend off means I don't have to work alongside doesn't-think-before-he-speaks-Jimmy."

Lydia noticed her sister's sly smile at the mention of Jimmy's name and frowned.

"What?" she questioned.

"Nothing." Elizabeth answered quickly.

"You smiled."

"Can I not smile?"

"Not when I apparently said something amusing. So…what's so funny?"

Elizabeth brought her legs up from the floor and on to the bed, resting her head on her knees as she wrapped her arms around her legs.

"You've mentioned this Jimmy a lot, that's all." Her sister said delicately.

Lydia rolled her eyes, knowing what her sister was getting at. The old argument where you found someone really irritating but it was actually just the start of some deeper feeling or whatever.

"I don't like Jimmy."

"Why not?"

Lydia sighed, her hands hitting the duvet in frustration.

"He's judgmental, he's rude, he's too opinionated. He likes to annoy me. And his name is probably short for James and in my experiences, people called James tend to be evil."

Elizabeth looked at her sympathetically.

"I know where you're coming from. But just because of your ordeal at Jamie's hands doesn't mean that Jimmy is exactly the same as Jamie." Her sister pointed out.

"I guess. When I first got involved with Jamie I thought he was going to be my first proper boyfriend. He told me that he was falling in love with me and I fell for all his lies. Everything that happened, him raping me and taking my virginity, forcing me to sleep with his friends, drugging me, holding me captive…my whole ordeal that Jamie put me through has put me off any sort of romantic relationship. I really believed that Jamie cared about me, I believed every word he told me until I started to realise that he was evil at the very core." Lydia explained.

"What about Denny? You spend a lot of time with him." Elizabeth said curiously.

Lydia let out a little laugh and shook her head. Denny was great but in the near year that she had known Denny Wickham, he had become more like the brother she had never had than anything else.

"He's my best friend, like my brother. Nothing more. He's having a tough time lately."

"Oh?"

Lydia nodded. Ever since Denny's brother and father had been jailed, Denny hadn't wanted to hang out at hers because he wasn't sure how his presence would affect Elizabeth and Lydia understood why.

"With everything that happened, he's getting a lot of negativity at work and some independent documentary makers are trying to get him and his mum to interview for some horrific murder documentary that they want to make. Of course, he and his mum have said no." she explained.

"It wasn't his fault. I certainly don't hold any blame towards your friend just because of who his father and brother are. You can't pick and choose who you're related to." Elizabeth sighed.

Lydia nodded and gave her a small smile.

"So…you'd be okay if Denny were to hang out here sometimes?" she asked delicately.

Elizabeth reached over and took hold of her hand.

"I'd be fine. Don't hide your friends away for my benefit. This is your home as much as mine, Maddie and Ed would want you to be comfortable in it just as much as I would." Her sister replied.

"Thanks Lizzy."

They shared a smile and heard a scratching sound outside the bedroom door. Laughing, Elizabeth got up from the bed and opened the door, allowing the little dog to run into the bedroom and jump up on to Lydia's bed.

"I guess Trip knew we were up." Elizabeth said, scratching the dog behind the ear.

"He'll be wanting a little bit of fuss before Maddie and Ed wake up." Lydia mused, scratching Trip's other ear.

The little dog panted happily at the attention the sisters were giving him, making Lydia remember the countless times that she and her sisters had begged their dad to buy them a dog but it being the one subject their dad would never give in to. Letting out a slight laugh, she met Elizabeth's questioning glance.

"What's funny?" Elizabeth asked.

"Do you remember all the times we begged dad to let us have a dog?" Lydia smiled.

Elizabeth nodded.

"Jane and I begged dad long before you were born but he always said that Francine was allergic. After she left, and you joined in on the dog topic, dad used to say we were impossible." Her sister replied.

"Remember that one time where we all made a PowerPoint presentation about why it was such a good idea for us to get a dog?" Lydia laughed.

Elizabeth shared her laughter, nodding at the memory.

"Dad even treated it like it was a business meeting or something. He sat himself in the dining room flicking through each slide on the laptop as we all took it in turns to talk about each slide. I think you were about…eight or nine?"

"I was eight. It was just before Jane started university. You both thought that having a dog in the house would somehow remind me that the dog belonged to all three of us and it would somehow make up for Jane being away so much. In a way you both thought that if we shared a dog, it would keep a part of you both with me when you were both away at university."

"I didn't know you knew that." Elizabeth murmured quietly.

Lydia nodded.

"You two were worried about being away at lectures, study groups and student nights out that you were worried that I'd miss you both too much when you both went to university. You two always thought about my needs, my feelings long before you became my legal guardians. In a way, you and Jane are the only mother figures I've ever had." She said proudly.

"We always were close. I miss that."

"I do too. But we'll get there. At least we made some progress at the last therapy appointment."

Elizabeth nodded her agreement and for a few moments, the two sisters were content to sit in silence and pet Trip. Lydia noted how this was the first time in a long while that she and Elizabeth had just sat and talked together like they used to. It wasn't awkward, and it wasn't forced. For those minutes that she and her sister had talked, Lydia got a glimmer of hope that things would be able to move forward, that she and her sisters could look forward to a bright future where nothing else would threaten to destroy their happiness.

"You okay?" Elizabeth asked.

"Yeah…just thinking…this was nice. Just talking to you." Lydia replied.

"I know. It feels lie a long time coming, doesn't it?" Elizabeth muttered.

"We've been through a lot," Lydia agreed, "It's going to take some time, but it feels me full of hope that we'll get back to normal."

Elizabeth nodded.

"We'll have to have a chat about what 'normal' is for us."

"I'm guessing it's doing all the mundane, everyday-life-kind-of-stuff. Like you going to work, having dinner with Will, me bumping into you at school I my new uniform, me stressing over A Levels instead of GCSEs and Jane calling to catch-up and arrange a weekend visit."

"Sounds wonderful. I want that more than anything." Elizabeth sighed cheerfully.

"I do too." Lydia agreed.

Before they could say anymore they heard footsteps in the upstairs hallway and seconds later there was another knock on Lydia's bedroom door.

"Come in."

The door opened and Maddie poked her head around the gap, dressed in her pyjamas and wearing a caring smile.

"I assume you girls didn't sleep well?" Maddie asked.

The sisters shook their head in unison.

"We were just talking." Lydia replied.

"Why don't you girls come downstairs with me? I'll make us all a fry-up?"

The thought of Maddie's fry-up sounded bliss to Lydia, it wasn't often that their aunt made them breakfast due to starting work everyday very early and continuing into the late afternoon with very rarely taking a break from her admin work. She knew that Maddie had probably woken early to get a head start on her workload so that she could spend the rest of the day with them as a family to support them through a difficult day.

Nodding their agreement and letting out a yawn, the sisters got up from the bed and followed their aunt downstairs for breakfast.

ooOoo

The afternoon was blazing hot with the sun shining brightly above them as the smell of Ed starting up the barbecue filled their nostrils. Elizabeth stepped out of the house and into the back garden, placing the salad bowl on to the wooden table where Jane and Charles sat sipping a beer each. The kitchen windows were open, the stereo playing some of their dad's favourite songs by The Beatles through the opened windows, the sound reaching their ears. This time a year ago, it had been so difficult to get out of bed and get through the day and this year, Elizabeth had believed it would be the same as the previous year. Two years since they had lost their dad, their devoted and loving father and she missed him like mad.

But, the day was going better than she thought it would and she believed it was down to the suggestion that they celebrate their dad's memory rather than mope around. Some of the best memories that Elizabeth and her sisters shared about their father was the summers they would spend in Portsmouth with Maddie, Ed and their cousins but she didn't really feel like sitting on Southsea Common with a portable barbecue when she didn't feel ready to go down Southsea. The Common was too near to where she had been held captive by Wickham and although the old nightclub was getting torn down, she didn't feel ready to face those demons just yet. So instead, they agreed to hold a barbecue in the back garden, sit and enjoy the nice weather with their dad's favourite music playing. Lydia had sat on the laptop for most of the morning burning a CD with their dad's favourite songs on it whilst Maddie and Ed went to the supermarket to get some burgers, some sausages, some bread rolls and other things that they would need for a barbecue.

"How are you doing, Lizzy?" Charles asked.

"I'm slowly getting there." Elizabeth replied.

Charles gave her an encouraging smile as he squeezed Jane's hand. It had been a week since she and her sisters had their joint therapy session with Dr. Richardson and she was surprised at just how much the session had helped her and her sisters. Jane was due to start some of her own therapy sessions in Bury St. Edmunds in a week and although Jane had confided in her and Lydia that she was feeling nervous about the whole thing, Elizabeth and Lydia were supportive that she should attend the sessions; it was there to help them get through a difficult period after all. Lydia was still feeling a lot of pressure but this morning where she and her younger sister had just talked for a while felt like it was a step forward.

As Elizabeth took a seat at the table, Will and Georgiana arrived in the garden carrying some frozen pizzas and a bottle of lemonade.

"I wondered if we should have brought wine but then I figured that there are two under eighteens present." Will said, gesturing to the lemonade.

Maddie gave him a grateful smile and took the pizzas and fizzy drink from him.

"You didn't need to bring anything but thank you, it was very thoughtful of you William." Maddie replied.

Maddie headed back inside the house to start cooking the pizzas as Will greeted Elizabeth with a warm smile and kissed her forehead as Georgiana followed Maddie back into the house to find Lydia.

"I missed you." Will whispered.

Elizabeth smiled. Will had been away for most of the week in London catching up on business with Richard and she understood that he had other commitments in his life other than her, but she had missed him terribly; phone calls and text messaging just weren't the same as seeing her boyfriend in the flesh.

As Will took a seat, she noticed how Jane was looking at the two of them and she felt a little tense. She knew that it wasn't going to be easy for her sister to try and get along with Will for her sake, but she knew that Jane was going to try, her sister had promised that she would try and be civil because Will was who Elizabeth wanted to be with.

"So…um…how are you…Will?" Jane asked.

Will looked surprised at Jane's polite question, but his expression of surprise only lasted a second as he gave Jane a smile which made Elizabeth happy that he was going to accept her co-operation.

"I'm good thanks Jane, how about you? How's Longbourn running?"

"I'll be alright, considering the circumstances…um…Longbourn is doing great…profits are up…there's a planning committee meeting to discuss the extension of Longbourn and building on the field next door that Roger left to Longbourn…I'm hoping it will go in our favour…"

"If you need any help please don't hesitate to ask me. I wouldn't mind giving you a hand if you need any." Will offered.

It was Jane's turn to be surprised at Will's offer and her sister couldn't fail to hide her expression as she took a sip of her drink and muttered her thanks for the offer. Elizabeth took Will's hand in her own and squeezed it lightly, giving him a silent thank you for making an effort with Jane just as Maddie came out of the kitchen carrying a plate of raw meat for Ed to cook on the barbecue.

"Alright then!" Ed said cheerfully, "Who wants me to cook the sausages first?"

"Dad always asked you to do the sausages first." Jane remembered fondly.

"That's because Thomas always preferred butcher bought sausages rather than supermarket ones." Ed replied with a small smile.

"Why's that?" Charles questioned curiously, taking a mouthful of his beer.

"Dad always preferred to support local butcher businesses rather than buy his meat from a supermarket. He always said the meat from a butcher tasted better." Lydia answered as she and Georgiana joined the rest of them at the table.

"Your dad was a smart man from the sound of it. Our dad always asked Maddie to buy from the butchers too." Will complimented.

"It's better to support smaller businesses within the community." Ed agreed.

Elizabeth smiled happily to herself as Will made the effort to ask her sisters for more information about their dad and her sisters gladly talked about him as if trying to make Will know their dad better. Today always would have been hard, she knew that but while she missed her dad with every fiber of her being, she loved how she was able to spend the day with the people that mattered to her, swapping memories and speaking happily about her dad rather than give in to that ache of sadness that lingered in her chest which reminded her of just how much she would always miss the man who had raised her.

ooOoo

As afternoon slowly faded into evening, the blazing heat was beginning to fade. Plates and bowls and cutlery lined the kitchen sides in the house, but the group remained seated outside in the garden, the music still playing but on a lower volume. The sun was getting lower in the clear blue sky, indicating that the day would shortly be coming to an end, but Elizabeth and her sisters weren't finished just yet. The day had been filled with talk about their dad's likes and dislikes, his little quirks and hobbies, his favourite songs, his morning routines when he ran Longbourn, the memories of how he taught each of his girls to ride a bike, to cook, to play a game, to every little aspect of their daily life with him. And while the ache of sadness lingered in all three Bennet girls, Elizabeth knew the time was coming to draw the day to an end.

Trip was whining for his evening walk, but Maddie told the little dog that he would have to wait a while longer as she came out into the garden holding three blue helium balloons and a notepad. Elizabeth took the notepad from her aunt, tearing of a page before dividing the piece of paper into three. Ed passed them all a pen and all three sisters scrawled a little note on their piece of paper before taking a balloon from Maddie and tying the paper to the end of the string.

"Do you want us out here?" Will asked.

"I think this is something we need to do just us three." Elizabeth replied quietly.

"I'll be right inside with the others if you need us…" Will reminded her.

Nodding her head, she pressed her lips to his briefly before turning to Jane and Lydia who had just finished tying their pieces of paper to their balloons. Everyone else retreated inside, leaving the three of them out in the garden alone.

"Will it ever get easier?" Jane asked tearfully.

Elizabeth shrugged as she wrapped her arm around Jane's shoulders and the other around Lydia's as she held tightly on to her balloon. It was what they had agreed upon. To say goodbye to this horrible day, they would each write a note, something brief about what they missed about their dad, just one memory or regret or wish and tie it to a balloon and let go. They had each agreed to keep their note to themselves, they would share it with each other when they wanted to share it, if they wanted to share it.

"I wish I could promise you it would get easier, Janie." Elizabeth sniffed, resting her head on top of Jane's.

"I just miss him…miss you both…so much…" Jane cried.

"I know…I miss him too…" Lydia said, wiping her eyes.

Elizabeth took a breath, not wanting to cry but she couldn't stop the tears from flowing. She wished silently in this moment that she had some form of power that could bring the dead back, that she could give her sisters the opportunity to have one more day with their dad, but those wishes were just the stuff of dreams.

"We need to let go…" Elizabeth muttered quietly.

She heard the sharp inhale from both her sisters and the slow exhale as they nodded their agreement. Together, they quietly counted to three and let go of the balloons. As her sisters huddled in closer to her as they looked up at the sky and watched as the balloons got smaller and smaller the further up they went, Elizabeth let the tears fall down her cheeks and silently prayed that things would soon get better for them, that there weren't too many hurdles left in their way for a new beginning.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Georgiana stepped out of the office and smiled, despite her nerves trying to get the better of her. She pulled her shirt down from where it had uncomfortably ridden up her torso when she had been sat down during her job interview and crossed the road, opening the door to the little café where Denny had been waiting for her.

"How did it go?" Denny greeted.

She pulled the chair out from under the table and sat next to him.

"It went great, they offered me a job and I start my training in three days." Georgiana replied with a smile.

"Then…why do you look so nervous?" Denny asked.

Georgiana shrugged. She didn't know the exact reason as to why she felt so nervous. Maybe it was because she had been submitting job applications and handing out her CV for a while now that she didn't know if she would ever get an interview. Maybe it was because she was now stepping into the world of becoming an adult. Maybe it was because she was going to do be doing something new. But whatever the reason, she felt nervous about it.

"Did you feel nervous when you started at Burger King?"

Denny raised his hand, tipping it side by side to indicate that he was fifty-fifty with feeling nervous and feeling excited about starting a job for the first time.

"It's not the greatest job in the world but it's what most teenagers who have left school do. The workplace bullying seems to be dying down a bit and I've made a few friends. Actually, I've been asked out."

Georgiana felt a little surprised that Denny was choosing to divulge the fact that he had been asked out by someone. Over the past few months they had developed a friendship again, they had cleared the air about what had happened with Laura and she had apologised for how she had treated him all that time ago. And deep down, she knew that her feelings for Denny were still there, but she wasn't ready to act on them.

How could she act on them? She had trusted and liked someone before and he had drugged her and had attempted to rape her. Yes, Gregory was in prison and serving his sentence, but she still felt stupid for trusting him in the first place. She wasn't ready to open herself up to the idea of having feelings for a boy again, trusting someone, dating someone. It was something that she had been battling ever since her ordeal and her friends had helped her through that. And while she knew that Denny cared about her, was a really great friend and supportive in everything that she wanted to do; she wasn't ready to even ask him out.

"Oh? So, what's her name?" Georgiana asked curiously.

"Her name is Emma. She's a school leaver like us and started two weeks ago. She's asked me to the cinema." Denny replied.

"That's great! So, when is your date?"

Denny shook his head.

"She seems like a lovely girl, but I told her that I'm not looking to date right now."

Georgiana frowned.

"Why not?" she asked.

"Because I'm waiting for the stuff with my father and brother to die down. Right now, I'm still being harassed by independent film makers trying to get me onside for this bloody documentary. I don't want to be known as related to two murderers." He replied.

"It will die down." Georgiana said encouragingly.

"Everything is getting really bad, Georgie," Denny sighed, "My mum had a letter from your aunt, she's considering kicking me out of Rosings because of what my father and brother did."

Georgiana scoffed in disbelief, feeling her anger rise as she processed what her friend had just told her. she couldn't believe that she was related to someone as cruel, cold and selfish as Catherine de Burgh. Her aunt only cared about making sure the school had a good reputation instead of caring about the welfare of her students. Any sort of bad news connected to one of her aunt's students meant bad publicity for the private school and all her aunt cared about was protecting the school's great reputation. On the other hand, she knew that her aunt couldn't just withdraw Denny's place from the school just because of who he happened to be related to. For one thing, her father had paid for Denny's tuition all throughout secondary education which also included the full fees for the two years of sixth form at Rosings as well.

"Don't worry about that, Denny. I will make sure that this gets sorted." She promised.

"I appreciate it, Gee," her friend said solemnly, "But I don't think that there is anything that you can do."

"Don't say that! I'll talk to Will-"

Denny laughed harshly, causing Georgiana to glare at him.

"What's that for?" Georgiana demanded.

"I don't think your brother would help me and my mum out, do you?" Denny stated skeptically.

"My brother isn't horrible, he knows how close your mum and my dad were before he died. He knows how important it was to my dad that you got a good education." She said defensively.

"No, he isn't. But how does he feel knowing that you hang out with the younger brother of the man who not only tried to scam him out of his money by marrying him off to a scammer all those years ago but very recently held his girlfriend captive?"

"When you put it like that…it looks a little bleak. I'll admit that. But Will and I have talked about me being friends with you and I told him straight that I know you are nothing like George. Or your dad. Our dad knew it too."

"I appreciate you sticking up for me, Georgie. But I'd rather just not think about school or work or my fucked-up family." Denny sighed.

"How about we go and see a film? Celebrate together about me landing a job?" Georgiana suggested.

Denny smiled, reaching across the table and squeezed her hand gratefully. She found herself returning his smile, noting just how soft and warm his hand was. She hated that he was going through a tough time because of something his father and brother had done. She hated that despite everything that was going on in his life, he was still trying to put on a brave face.

"Sounds like a good idea. We have some time to kill before we go and see Lydia." Denny agreed.

The two of them rose from their seats and exited the café, hoping that the day would continue to be filled with good news.

ooOoo

If there was one thing that Lydia was discovering about herself, it was that she didn't like how impatient she was getting when facing extremely nerve-wrecking news. She had managed to get her time off approved for today and Jane had arranged cover at Longbourn to come down for the weekend to be a united front as they waited for the phone call to confirm the news that she desperately wanted to hear.

Today was the day she had been waiting for since she was told back in February that her attacker was appealing his prison sentence. Eight years was hardly a fitting sentence for what she had been through at Jamie Smith's hands. He had only been granted the minimum sentence and she had been outraged that it was only a short sentence the judge had handed to him at the original trial. And for the last few months she had tried to hold it together as she waited for this day to come. And now it finally had. Ever since she had woken up she hadn't been herself. Her sisters had tried to take her mind off Jamie and while Lydia was grateful for their efforts, her nerves were keeping her on the edge of her seat.

It was only a matter of minutes that they would hear the news if her attacker was going to be freed from prison, serve his current sentence or be given a lengthier one. The only sound in the living room was the film that Maddie had put on forty minutes ago was an attempt of distraction while they waited. But Lydia knew that everyone in the living room was only pretending to pay any interest in the film.

Everyone instantly jumped to their feet when the phone started ringing, with Maddie hurrying over to pick up the handset and pressing the answer button.

"Hello?" her aunt greeted quickly and anxiously.

Lydia felt her heart start thumping faster and faster in her chest as she looked impatiently at her aunt. She felt her sisters wrap their arms around her shoulders supportively. She felt herself struggling to breathe as Maddie thanked the caller for the information and hung up the phone.

"Well?" Elizabeth pressed urgently.

Lydia looked at her aunt pleadingly, desperate to know what the detective on the other end had told Maddie. She was trying to prepare herself for the worst, had been trying to prepare herself for the worst outcome since she was first told in February that Jamie was appealing his sentence.

"The judge at the hearing took your letter into account, along with some other victims who had come forward and concluded that eight years didn't reflect favourably on what James Smith had done to his victims. Eight years was insufficient, and the judge sentenced him to a further eight years in prison." Maddie said.

Feeling her heart flutter with relief, Lydia found herself sobbing in delight in her sister's arms as both Jane and Elizabeth held her tightly. It was what she had been so desperate and wanting to hear. Jamie would now serve sixteen years in prison.

"Thank god!" Elizabeth cried.

"That's not all. The judge also determined that James Smith doesn't have the right to appeal his new sentence and must serve thirteen years before he is considered eligible for parole. If he commits any bad behaviour in prison during this time, he won't be eligible for parole." Maddie said happily.

Lydia felt her heart dance in her chest with happiness. For the first time in months she felt that she could finally put her past behind her and move forward to a bright future. To hear that Jamie had not only had his prison sentence increased but wouldn't be eligible for parole if he committed further offences in prison and that he couldn't appeal his prison sentence further, was the best news that she could have received.

As she wrapped her arms tightly around her sisters and cried tears of relief, she heard Elizabeth whisper in her ear.

"It's going to be alright, Lydi. We're going to be alright."

Lydia nodded her head in agreement.

They were going to be alright.

ooOoo

They had spent the afternoon celebrating as a family. Ed had started up the barbecue whilst Maddie shut away her laptop and decided to focus on her work another day. Will, Georgiana, Charles and Denny were invited over to celebrate the news with them that her younger sister's attacker had finally gotten the sentence that he deserved. Eventually the day had come to an end when Elizabeth noticed how overwhelmed and tired Lydia looked and had sent the teenager off for an early night, with Georgiana being invited to stay over as Denny made his way home for the evening.

"I'll drop Georgie off an overnight bag and leave you all to it. It's been a long day." Will said quietly.

"Why don't you stay over?" Elizabeth suggested.

"I don't know-"

"You've stayed over before."

"I know but…I don't want to intrude. What if Lydia needs you during the night?" Will asked uncertainly.

"I think after today she's going to just want to sleep, it's been a long and tiring day for all of us. Besides, if she does need anyone she knows where I am, and we have Georgie sleeping over tonight so she'll have her best friend here. Jane is staying over at Charles' so I'm sure that Lydia will be fine. Maddie and Ed won't mind if you stay over. You've stayed over before." Elizabeth replied.

Will gave her a small smile and nodded his agreement just as Ed came out into the hallway to show Jane and Charles out of the house.

"It's been a busy day, have a nice evening you two." Ed said to Jane and Charles.

"We're going to go out for some dinner and then watch a film back at mine, my dad and Caroline are out for the weekend." Charles replied cheerfully.

Elizabeth hugged her sister goodbye and released her, giving Jane a small and encouraging smile.

"Do you want to have breakfast together tomorrow before you head back to Longbourn?" she asked.

Jane nodded.

"I think that will be nice. We can also talk about Dr. Richardson's suggestion of you and Lydia coming home for a weekend for a change of scenery." Her sister replied.

"Sounds like a plan." Elizabeth smiled.

As Jane and Charles said their final goodbyes, Elizabeth turned to her uncle who had pulled Trip's lead down from the coat rack.

"I'm taking Trip on a quick walk; can you tell Maddie that I won't be long?" Ed asked.

And she didn't know why but what she said to her uncle next surprised her.

"Why don't Will and I take Trip for a walk?"

Both her boyfriend and her uncle seemed surprised at her suggestion to take the dog for a walk. But Elizabeth had felt that sudden urge to get out of the house and a surge of confidence that she could take the dog on a short walk. The past few weeks had been tough. Her captor was doing everything he could to avoid a prison sentence but was currently in prison awaiting a mental health assessment and today they had finally heard the news that Lydia's abuser had been handed a longer sentence for his crimes. Things with Jane were slowly starting to improve. Today she felt that things were finally starting to look better for her and her sisters, so why should she stayed cooped up in the house; afraid to even take her aunt and uncle's dog on a walk like she used to do prior to being abducted by George Wickham?

"You…want to take Trip…on a walk?" Ed asked, clearly wanting clarification he had heard her correctly.

Elizabeth nodded.

"Just for a short one if that's okay with Will?" she replied, turning her head to her boyfriend.

She felt Will place a supportive hand on her shoulder, giving her a squeeze of encouragement as he stepped closer to her.

"I'm fine with it. I think it's a good idea." Will smiled.

Ed handed over the lead to Elizabeth and whistled for Trip, who came running excitedly into the hallway as Elizabeth attached the lead to the dog's collar. As her uncle went back into the living room to sit with Maddie and watch the evening news, Elizabeth felt her boyfriend take her hand and give it a light squeeze.

"You've got this." Will whispered supportively.

Taking a deep breath, Elizabeth opened the front door and stepped outside the house as she held on tightly to Trip's lead. Using her other hand to hold on tightly to Will, she shut the front door behind them and set off into the street for Trip's walk.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Thump Thump. Thump Thump. Thump Thump.

Everyone else looked excited. But for Lydia, she looked as white as a bedsheet. Her heart kept thumping with nerves against her chest and it didn't matter how many deep breaths she took, Lydia knew that her academic future was at stake with whatever the white sheets of paper inside the brown envelope would tell her.

Today was the day that she had been worried about, (well, less than how she had worried that Jamie would walk free from prison and how her sister was recovering from her ordeal). Today was the day that she and her peers would find out whether they would have to repeat their final year of secondary education or if they would move up to the sixth form of Rosings Park School. Today was the day she would find out if she passed or failed her GCSE examinations.

She had worked bloody hard given what she had been through in the last two years. Once her sisters had made the decision for her to leave the place she had always called home because she needed a fresh start, she had known it was her only chance to move forward and gain a bright future for herself. It was her chance to study, get good grades so that she could go on to university when she turned eighteen; although she wasn't entirely sure what she wanted to do with her life beyond sixth form.

"Shall we open them together?" Denny suggested.

Lydia gave her friends a small smile. She knew that Denny and Georgie were just as nervous as she was. Their futures were just uncertain given the rough times they had been through lately too. Kit and Mary were the only ones in their friendship group who they were sure would get the grades needed to progress to sixth form.

The five of them stood in a small circle, their fingers ripping open the seal on the brown envelope and pulling out the white sheets of paper which would tell them their examination results. The sound of excited squeals from her peers were drowned out, her vision only focusing on the small black printed letters on white paper which told her the results she got.

"I got four A stars, three As and three Bs." Denny announced happily.

"Well done, Denny." Kit replied enthusiastically.

Lydia listened to how her friends received the grades they wanted whilst she stared at the paper, taking in what was printed.

"Lydi? Lyds? What were your results?" Mary asked.

She looked up and turned the paper around to show her friends what her results were.

"Two A stars, three As, four Bs and a C in RE." Georgiana read.

"That's brilliant!" Denny cheered, "And all this time you thought you were going to get all below a C grade."

"I know." Lydia mumbled happily.

"Don't you think it's strange? Here we are getting our results for our GCSEs. The secondary school journey is now over." Kit mused.

"And now on to two years of further education at Rosings Park school." Mary commented.

"And then three to four years of higher education at whatever university we end up at!" Georgiana said excitedly.

Grinning from ear to ear, Lydia linked her arm with Georgiana's and exited the school building to celebrate her GCSE results before she had to start her closing shift at work that afternoon.

ooOoo

"Lizzy, are you ready yet? Will is here!" Maddie called from the bottom of the stairs.

"Coming!" Elizabeth shouted back down.

She finished smoothing out her t-shirt and pulled on a pair of shorts before opening her bedroom door and heading downstairs. Will was crouched by the front door, scratching Trip behind the ears.

"I think you're becoming a dog person." Elizabeth commented.

Will chuckled lightly as he stood up, walking over to her as she reached the bottom of the stairs and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I was wondering if you feel up to going out for some lunch?" Will asked.

"Where were you thinking?"

"Mozzarella Joe's."

Mozzarella Joe's. The little restaurant right on Southsea beach. Just down the road from where she had been held captive and where her ex-boyfriend had been murdered.

"I don't know, it's-"

"If you don't want to go, it's absolutely fine. I just thought it would be nice. But there is no pressure if you don't want to eat there." Will assured her quickly.

"Will you stay with me the whole time?" Elizabeth asked nervously.

He nodded his head.

"Of course. But if you would rather stay in and have lunch then I understand. There is no pressure." Will replied.

Elizabeth bit her lip. It wasn't like she hadn't gotten out of the house. She went to her weekly therapy sessions with Dr. Richardson, she had even had lunch up at the viewpoint with Will a few weeks ago and then she had taken Trip on a short walk with her boyfriend just over a week ago. It was slow progress, but it was progress nonetheless. But having lunch at a restaurant which was located not far from the nightclub where Wickham had held her captive and had murdered Oscar, it made her nervous. The nightclub was being torn down because of the horrific crimes that were committed there but Elizabeth hadn't been brave enough to venture down the seafront since her abduction.

Taking a deep breath, she slowly exhaled and nodded.

"Okay. We'll go for lunch at Mozzarella Joe's. But if I start to get too nervous or I start to panic-"

"I'll get us out of there straight away." Will finished for her as a promise.

Grabbing her bag, she shouted a goodbye to her aunt and uncle and left the house, holding her boyfriend's hand tightly as they walked in the direction to the seafront. But as they reached central Southsea, Elizabeth noticed that they were taking a detour and she didn't know why.

"Will, why are we going this way?" she questioned.

Will smiled, squeezing her hand lightly as he led her down Palmerston Road until they stopped outside of a newsagents. Elizabeth raised her eyebrow as she looked up at her boyfriend.

"It was exactly a year ago today that we met. Right in this very shop. I had gone to get some milk to get out of the house because it was the day of my dad's funeral. Caroline was bugging me and that frustrated me and then as I was about to pay for the milk, a beautiful brunette crashed into me." Will answered amusingly.

Elizabeth couldn't help the little laugh that escaped her mouth. Was it really a year to the day that she had met Will for the first time? That first meeting she had just thought him to be a nameless, rude but gorgeous man who she had happened to trip into and now he was the person she wanted to be with for the rest of her life.

"I wouldn't say crashed. It was more of the fact I tripped, and you caught me." Elizabeth argued teasingly.

"Still crashed into me though, didn't you? And if someone had told me on this day a year ago that the woman I rudely snapped at would be the woman I love, I would have dismissed that person as crazy."

"Stranger things can happen."

"I love you, Lizzy. I think you're the most amazing woman in the world and I thank my lucky stars that you want to be with me." Will whispered softly.

Closing the gap between them, Elizabeth stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his.

ooOoo

Sitting in the little café, Ed stirred the little wooden stick around his cappuccino and looked at the entrance expectantly. He knew that he shouldn't be here. He knew he should have stayed home with his wife and taken the dog for a walk, maybe finished some odd jobs round the house that he had been putting off for god knows how long, but instead he chose to be here. This little café wasn't exactly the place he had expected when his sister had called him up the night before asking him to meet her here. Ever since his sister had remarried she had definitely enjoyed anything Peter's money could buy her; and that included expensive restaurants and cafés.

He raised his hand in the air when he saw Fran walk in through the door. She weaved through the crowded café and took a seat opposite Ed.

"Hello Edward," Fran greeted icily, "It's been a while."

"It has." Ed agreed stiffly.

"How have you been?" Fran asked awkwardly.

"Do you really want to know how I've been? Why did you want to meet me here, Francine?" Ed asked icily.

He watched as his sister took a breath and her expression changed from awkwardness to something that reminded him of regret.

"I really screwed up." Fran admitted quietly.

Ed raised an eyebrow as he sipped at his lukewarm cappuccino. He never thought he would hear an admission of making a mistake fall from his sister's lips. But then again, she hadn't exactly told him yet what exactly it was that she regretted.

"What exactly did you screw up, Francine?" Ed questioned, "Because the list of mistakes you've made is half an arm long."

Fran sighed heavily, meeting his stern gaze.

"I've seen the reports on the news and in the papers, I know that it was Elizabeth that man held captive four months ago."

"One of the women. The other was her boyfriend's ex-wife."

"I really screwed up with them. With Thomas dying, what Lydia went through and now Elizabeth…I've been thinking some things over." Fran muttered.

Ed shook his head. He couldn't believe that it had taken her this long to say those words. But he wasn't sure just how sincere his sister was. She had, after all, admitted that she had never wanted to have children in the first place, that she had had her three daughters because of pressure. That's why he felt angry with her.

"And you've decided that now is the time for you to reach out? Francine, you walked out on them, you told them that you never wanted children in the first place. Elizabeth closed the door on you several months ago. So, I ask you again: why did you ask me to meet you here?" Ed asked.

Fran gulped as she took a moment before answering.

"I wanted to ask you if you could set up a meeting between me and the girls, I want to try and make amends." She requested.

"I don't think they will be interested in an attempt of reconciliation." Ed replied honestly.

"Can't you at least try and put a good word in for me?" Fran pleaded.

"Why should I do you any favours? You lied to me. You promised me that you were going to go back for those girls and you never did." Ed hissed.

"I know, but they need someone-"

Ed laughed harshly.

"I don't think you understand just how remarkable your daughters are. After everything they have been through, they are getting stronger. There might be a few cracks, but those cracks are getting filled. You don't know how proud I am of Elizabeth for coming through her ordeal. She's started going out again after being too scared to step out the front door. Right now, she's gone out to lunch with her boyfriend, something which she wouldn't have done a month ago. The girls have who they need. They have their friends, their boyfriends, Me and Maddie. But most importantly, they have each other." He stated firmly.

Fran nodded her head stiffly, her facial expression turning to sadness.

"I have to go, I told Maddie that I wouldn't be too long." Ed sighed.

Fran nodded again.

"Will you at least let me know how they are from time to time?" his sister requested.

Ed shrugged his shoulders. He had learned a lesson about not telling his nieces that he had been in touch with their absent mother for the past fifteen years. When his sister had shown up on his doorstep on Christmas day it had caused a rift between him and Elizabeth and if that experience had taught him anything, it was not to sneak around behind his nieces' backs.

"I will be telling the girls when I get home, it's the right thing to do. If they want to see you then I will get in touch with you. In the meantime, just go about your life and make some changes for yourself if that's what you feel you need to do." Ed advised.

With nothing more to say, Ed left the café and his sister behind, wondering just how he was going to tell his nieces about his short visit with their absent mother.

ooOoo

Leaning back in her seat, Elizabeth let out a happily and lazed sigh. She was sat at a table for two on the little outdoor terraced patio that had been built on to the beach to expand the seaside restaurant as she thoroughly enjoyed the sun shining in the sky above her and Will, enjoying the fullness she felt from her lunch.

"Did you enjoy your meals?" the waiter asked them, coming up to their table to clear their plates away.

"It was lovely, thanks." Will smiled.

The waiter returned her boyfriend's smile, asking them if they wanted to look at the dessert menu to which they declined, and Will asked for the bill. As the waiter hurried off with their plates and the promise to return swiftly with their bill, Elizabeth pulled out her purse and started pulling the notes out of it.

"Put your money away, Lizzy." Will requested softly.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes as she met his stare.

"I don't mind paying for things." Elizabeth stated.

"I know, but I'm paying this time."

"You paid the last time."

"Keeping track, are we?" Will teased.

Elizabeth paused. The last time they had done this was after her therapy appointment where she had asked Will if they could go to the viewpoint to have some time alone together and he had bought them lunch from the burger van. But a part of her felt the need to pay for their lunches out together, it was like an itching nerve deep inside her that threatened to take over if she allowed her boyfriend to pay for their days out together all the time. And given the place they had been in prior to her kidnapping, quite frankly she didn't feel comfortable with Will paying for everything.

"I would just feel comfortable if I paid." Elizabeth muttered quietly.

Will frowned, leaning across the table to take her hand in his; giving it a light squeeze.

"What's the matter?" he asked softly.

She let out a slow exhale of breath. The last thing she wanted was to cause an argument when they were supposed to be having a nice time together.

"I want to pay for some of the stuff we do together, it keeps us both equal in the relationship."

She saw him stiffen and nod his understanding as the waiter returned with their bill and Elizabeth pulled out the money to pay for their lunch. As they left the restaurant and took hold of her boyfriend's hand, Will looked a little down which made Elizabeth feel awkward.

"What's wrong?" Elizabeth questioned.

The two crossed over the busy road to walk on the grassy common, sitting down in an empty spot of freshly cut grass.

"It bothered me what you said in the restaurant that paying for stuff that we do keeps us both equal in the relationship. I don't know why." Will sighed.

"Well that's how I feel. After everything we've been through in the past few months, I would just feel more comfortable if you didn't pay for everything we do together." Elizabeth replied honestly.

"I guess I get that." Will said stiffly.

"Will, I love you, but up until a few months ago we were in a very awkward place because of Wickham. You were scared to open yourself up to the idea of having someone to love and a future and Wickham managed to briefly fool you into thinking that I was going to con you like Sarah had all those years ago." Elizabeth pointed out.

"I know, Lizzy," Will exhaled heavily, "I don't exactly feel proud of myself for putting us in that awkward place. I held back because I didn't want to get hurt again and in the process, I ended up almost losing you."

"I think we're coming out of that awkward place and I love how you're here for me through everything we've been through. But when it comes to our relationship, we both need to be equals in everything."

"Okay," Will agreed, "If it makes you feel better by paying for some of the things we do when we're together then I won't kick up a fuss when you do insist on paying. But I want you to know something."

"What's that?" Elizabeth asked.

He leaned forwards, cupping her cheek in his palm as he met her gaze.

"I want you to know that what happened with Wickham made me realise a few things. I realised that if I carried on feeling afraid to commit to you and love you the way you deserve then it would be my fault if our relationship ended. I didn't want that. And I know that you are nothing like Sarah. So, I'm sorry for making you feel like that. You don't have to prove anything to me." Will whispered.

Elizabeth smiled, leaning forwards to kiss him before they were interrupted by a loud woman shrieking just a few feet away.

"HELP! SOMEONE HELP!"

Will and Elizabeth rushed to stand to their feet as the woman rushed over to them, clearly panicked and desperate.

"Please, please help me. My little niece…she's having a fit…we need help…"

Elizabeth instantly froze, the pleading of the woman begging them for help being drowned out. She felt her chest starting to tighten as she struggled to breathe, feeling as if she was choking and her heart racing quickly and a sudden feeling that danger was near as her mind filling her with the memories that she was trying to work through…

 _"Are you a doctor?" the man asked her hurriedly._

 _"I-I'm a nurse." Elizabeth replied._

 _"Good! My wife…you have to help me…my wife…she fell and hit her head…my son…I left him with her and a neighbour…I need some help!" the man begged her._

 _She began walking with the man quickly as the man explained he had called an ambulance when his wife had fallen but due to a two-car collision on the M275 leading out of Portsmouth, the entire city was on gridlock and hardly moving which meant it would take a while for the ambulance to get from the north of Portsmouth. As all the questions had been answered, the man commented on how Portsmouth City Council needed to rethink their idea to sell off the property that had once been the city's second hospital and now having to rely on resources on the city's remaining hospital. Elizabeth followed the man through the residential part of Gunwharf Quays where nobody was around._

 _The man stopped and she looked around, noticing how there was no woman in need of medical attention. No little boy distressed to see his mother hurt and no neighbour trying to keep the situation as calm as possible. Instead, there was a man who she hadn't seen since October._

 _"Hello Elizabeth." Wickham greeted her._

 _Elizabeth frowned._

 _"What's going on?" she questioned._

 _"I'm afraid the game is up now and I'm finally going to win!" Wickham gloated._

 _"What's going…"_

 _She felt a hand cloth cover her mouth and nose and a strong arm restrain her as she struggled to get free. Whatever it was that was on the cloth was making her lightheaded. Her eyes focused on George Wickham, grinning in triumph as she lost consciousness._

"Lizzy? Lizzy? LIZZY!"

Elizabeth shook her head as she struggled to breathe. She didn't register two strong hands gripping the top of her shoulders as she saw the blurred face of her boyfriend fighting to come into focus.

"Lizzy, it's okay, take a deep breath, we'll count to ten, deep breaths." Will instructed calmly.

She followed her boyfriend's instructions, taking deep breaths and slowly exhaling as she slowly counted to ten. As the world around her came back into focus, she heard the loud blaring of ambulance sirens coming towards them. Elizabeth watched as the woman who had run over to them ran back towards the paramedics and the little girl who had suffered a seizure received medical attention. When the panic attack was over, Will led her away from the scene.

"I'm sorry-"

"Don't apologise." Will stated firmly.

She felt the tears escape her eyes. It had been the first time in weeks that she had suffered a panic attack and all because a woman was asking for medical help for her niece and she couldn't help. The first time in her career as a nurse and she hadn't been able to help someone who really needed it.

"I-I-I shou-should have helped that li-little g-girl, Will!" Elizabeth cried, "A-And I couldn't!"

Will wrapped his arms tightly around her and pulled her against his chest as she sobbed. She felt like such a failure that she had been prevented from helping a little girl through a seizure because she had once trusted a stranger who claimed to be in desperate need of medical help. Her experience back then had led to her being kidnapped and just as she thought she was making progress, she found herself feeling like she was back at square one.

"You didn't fail that little girl, Lizzy. You panicked because similar circumstances were lied about to kidnap you." Will assured her softly.

But she continued to cry into her boyfriend's chest, feeling like a failure.

ooOoo

The afternoon wore on and the heat started to die down, bringing a cool summer breeze as the seaside visitors packed away their picnics for the day to head home. But Will and Elizabeth sat on the freshly cut grass, looking out at the Solent, listening to the waves crash against the pebbled beach.

It had taken a while for Will to calm his girlfriend down. He had held her against his chest as she sobbed into him about the devastation she felt at not being able to help a little girl who had genuinely needed medical help. He understood why she felt that way, being a nurse was her dream and her career. This was the first time she had been unable to help because she suffered a panic attack due to what she had been through months ago. When Elizabeth had calmed down, they just sat on the common watching the view of the Solent, talking about what had happened and watched the view some more. Watching his girlfriend go through this today when she had been making progress in her recovery made him angry and filled with want to storm the prison where Wickham was being held and beat his rival within an inch from death. He wanted nothing more than to make Wickham suffer just like Elizabeth was suffering.

"Will?"

He looked down at the beautiful woman who was sat in his arms and kissed the top of her forehead.

"Yeah?" Will responded lazily.

"I need to watch the club being torn down." Elizabeth replied quietly.

"Are you sure? What if it triggers another panic attack?" Will asked cautiously.

"I just…I feel it's something I have to do…"

As he stared down at this amazing woman, Will couldn't help but feel proud of her. She had come so far into her recovery even though she still had a long way to go. Earlier she had suffered a panic attack, her first one in weeks, and now she wanted to watch the former nightclub where she had been held captive and be torn down to get some closure. A few months ago, she would have locked herself away, too scared to step outside her front door and now she wanted to face her fears, to him it just showed how brave she was and how she was taking a step forward to get back to who she used to be. And the fact that she was letting him be there beside her as she went on her journey of recovery meant so much to him.

"We'll do this if you feel like you have to, and I'll be right there with you." He promised softly.

"Thank you…for everything…"

Kissing her on the forehead, the two of them got to their feet and held on to each other tightly as they began to walk across the common and in the direction of where Joanna's nightclub once stood.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N:** Thank you all for the support over the past few months. I know that I have posted the odd chapter here and there but haven't posted regularly. I am now hoping to post weekly with this story and get this wrapped up so I can start a new work by the end of the year.

I hope you enjoy this one. Just a reminder: This story is rated M for a reason.

 **Chapter Nine**

"Lydia, Georgie, wake up. We're almost at Longbourn." Elizabeth said loudly.

She smiled in amusement as the two teenagers stirred, craning their necks and wincing at their ache they must have felt from the pained groans they let out. For most of the journey, both girls had slept in the back of Will's car as they drove the four hours to spend the weekend at Longbourn. It had been agreed that they would spend some time with Jane and Charles over the summer holidays and with both the teenagers now working, they had only been able to get four days off instead of a week.

"Have you text Jane asking her to stick the kettle on?" Lydia yawned, stretching her arms wide.

"I did about five minutes ago." Elizabeth replied.

"I'm looking forward to relaxing, work is really taking it out of me." Georgiana said brightly.

Will smirked, looking at his little sister through the mirror.

"It's because you're not used to it, the number of bloody lie-ins you've had already since your GCSEs finished." He chuckled.

"Says you. You've taken over TPA and Richard runs the show more than you do!" Georgiana retorted teasingly.

"I'm in London Monday to Wednesday to meet with Richard and my business partners so the rest of the time I can be in Portsmouth where I'm needed. Besides, TPA will be investing more in the Portsmouth community in the Autumn so I'll be needed at home." Will pointed out.

"Needed at home to count the millions?" Lydia teased.

"No, Lydia. We're still in talks with the local authority to invest more into Portsmouth. Commercial Road is dying, the city centre has become so boring that shops aren't renewing their leases which risks jobs and the city's economy. TPA will turn the city centre around. Bring back restaurants, retail chains, cafés, a place for local performers to play, a few bars and a nightclub. And even better, help out with the city's less fortunate. I want TPA to give back." Will said passionately.

"Wow. That's some vision." Lydia replied admirably.

The car drove through the village before taking the signposted exit where Longbourn was located half a mile down the road. Elizabeth looked out of her window, welcoming in the familiar sights of her home village. To her, even though she had lived in Portsmouth for a year already, Thurston was where she had grown up. It was where generations of her family had spent their lives, building up a family business which Jane wanted to expand and make even more successful. The scenery changed as Will turned into the entrance of the B&B and drove past the main house and down the driveway until they made a complete stop outside the guesthouse.

The four of them got out of the car, the sound of the car doors slamming in unison. They saw Charles rush out of the guesthouse and greet them all with enthusiastic hugs.

"Where's Jane?" Lydia asked.

"In the main house sorting out some bookings." Charles replied.

"You go and see Jane. Charles and I will get the bags." Will suggested.

Elizabeth placed a quick kiss to his lips as she and Lydia made their way over to the main house whilst the other three unpacked the car. As they entered the front of the building, they waited at the reception desk, tapping their fingers on the wood. Jane looked up from the computer and squealed in delight as she rushed from behind the desk and wrapped her arms tightly around her two sisters.

"Come on through, I'll make us a cup of tea!" Jane said, gesturing towards the kitchen.

"The others are just unpacking the car, they'll be over in a minute." Elizabeth replied.

Jane nodded as they entered the kitchen and Jane clicked the button on the kettle to boil the water as Lydia pulled out six mugs and Elizabeth pulled out the sugar and teabags.

"How was the drive up here?" Jane asked.

"A clear run, no queues which is surprising. Lydia and Georgiana slept most of the way here." Elizabeth replied.

"Work taking it out of you?"

Lydia nodded.

"My hours are being extended but I love it there! The people are nice too."

Jane and Elizabeth glanced at each other as they shared a smirk.

"And do these people include a certain boy you can't stop talking about?" Jane questioned.

Lydia blushed slightly and shrugged her shoulders.

"I have no idea who you're referring to…" Lydia replied shyly.

Elizabeth laughed slightly. It was a typical teenager thing. Lydia constantly talked about Jimmy, how much he irritated her, how the corners of her mouth twitched into a slight smile whenever she mentioned this boy who she supposedly disliked.

Jane snorted and muttered a 'yeah right' and turned to the kettle as it clicked. They were joined in the kitchen by the other three as they all enjoyed a chat and a hot drink together.

ooOoo

Despite the cloudless sky, the sun shining brightly and warmly above them, despite Saturday being the definition of a summer's day; Elizabeth felt anything but cheerful. She stood in the quiet graveyard, the headstones weathered and a few people in the background laying flowers on the graves on their loved ones. Elizabeth bent down, placing the flowers she and Will had bought from the florist on to the grassy grave, her eyes reading the freshly engraved words on the headstone which indicated this was where her ex-boyfriend had been laid to rest. As she stood, she felt her boyfriend place a supportive hand on her shoulder before his arm wrapped tightly around her and held her close.

"I still blame myself." Elizabeth sighed regretfully.

"It wasn't your fault he was murdered, Lizzy." Will assured her.

"I know that people keep telling me that…but I still feel responsible. I was the only person that he knew and because of Caroline's lies…"

"If he had just taken you at your word that you had moved on back in February and had not chosen to believe Caroline's lies, he would still be here. Oscar didn't deserve what happened to him, it's not his fault or yours what happened to him. But Lizzy, he made the choice to come and see you. What happened to him-"

"Was a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time?" a voice said loudly behind them.

The two of them turned around, seeing two women stood behind them. The younger brunette was holding a fresh bunch of flowers whilst the older brunette looked at them with a face of thunder.

"Renée…" Elizabeth said, her voice breaking.

"My son is dead!" Renée spat viciously.

"I know." Elizabeth sighed.

"He only went to Portsmouth to see you! It's your fault that my son is dead!" Renée accused harshly.

"Mum, it's not Elizabeth's fault-"

"It IS her fault, Stephanie! It's because of her that your brother is dead!"

"I'm sorry." Elizabeth apologised desperately.

"I wish my son had never met you!" Renée shouted.

"Hold on!" Will interrupted loudly, stepping in front of Elizabeth protectively, "What happened to your son was horrific and I can't imagine the pain you must be feeling. But it wasn't Elizabeth's fault that Oscar was murdered. She isn't to blame for any of this and I think you directing your grief and anger at Elizabeth over what has happened to your son is unfair."

Elizabeth squeezed her boyfriend's hand appreciatively. When they had all made arrangements to come to Thurston for the weekend, she had spoken of her plans to visit Oscar's grave. Everyone had been slightly surprised by her plans, but it was vital for her in her journey to move on from her ordeal. For months she had been feeling so guilty that Oscar had been murdered and if she was ever going to get past it, she needed to get some closure. And visiting his grave had been Dr. Richardson's suggestion of trying to get closure.

"I think you'd better leave." Renée demanded.

Nodding her head, Elizabeth turned to leave. But just as she and Will took their first step away from the graveside, she turned back to face her ex-boyfriend's mother.

"I just want you to know that if I could change things, prevent the lies that Oscar was told from being said, I would. You have no idea how guilty I feel-"

"It isn't your fault, Elizabeth," Stephanie said reassuringly, "Oscar made his own decision to go to Portsmouth and as hard as it is to live without him, it was simply a case of wrong place at the wrong time. My mum is just…finding it hard…"

Renée didn't look at them as she stayed facing Oscar's headstone as Elizabeth muttered a thank you to Stephanie and then the two of them turned away and walked back to Will's car.

"Are you alright?" Will asked.

Elizabeth shrugged.

"I get why she's angry. Oscar was her son and a loss like that isn't easy to live with." She replied.

Will nodded his agreement and the two got into the car, making the short drive back to Longbourn. Not much was said on the way back between the two of them. Elizabeth looked out the window the majority of the time, noting how the nice day would soon be ruined by the dark grey clouds that were moving quickly across the sky. The car pulled into Longbourn's driveway and stopped outside the guesthouse. Elizabeth felt her phone vibrate against her thigh and she pulled it out of her shorts pocket, glancing at the screen.

"Jane and Charles have popped out to do the food shop. Apparently, Lydia and Georgiana are 'running' the B&B for a little while."

"Should we check on them?" Will asked.

Elizabeth shook her head.

"They'll be fine. Lydia's done it before so I'm sure she'll show Georgie the ropes." She replied.

There was a slight pause between the couple, until Will reached over to take her hand in his, giving it a light squeeze.

"What his mother said…it wasn't your fault." Will said softly.

"Easier said than done…this not blaming myself for his death…" Elizabeth sighed.

"I know."

Elizabeth squeezed his hand in return.

"Thanks for sticking up for me though."

"Any time." Will replied, giving her an encouraging smile.

Out of nowhere, rain started hammering hard against the windscreen. The two shared a look before they opened the car doors and slammed them shut before running across the gravel driveway to the doorway of the guesthouse. The rain poured down on to them until Elizabeth stopped at the front door and struggled to get her key in the lock. Will chuckled slightly as she eventually got the door open and the two stepped inside the guesthouse.

"Uh…I'm going to need to change. I bet I look like a drowned rat." Elizabeth commented.

"A gorgeous drowned rat." Will complimented.

Elizabeth laughed and met his gaze.

"You think drowned rats are gorgeous?" she teased.

ooOoo

Will closed the door behind them and watched as his girlfriend tried to wring the rainwater out of her wavy hair. Seeing the laughter still echoed on her face from getting caught in the downpour made his heart skip a beat. For a moment, it felt that his Lizzy was back. The sound of her laughter was like music to his ears, seeing her in a brief few seconds a glimpse of the person she had been prior to her ordeal at Wickham's hands. He knew that she would get through this and seeing her like that made him proud of just how strong she was.

He couldn't help it as he quickly strode over to her and cupped her face in his hands, pulling her to him and capturing her lips in a hungry kiss. He couldn't control the urge to kiss her, she was so beautiful, so strong, so amazing. For so long he had kept his urges under control but seeing her laugh so happily for those brief few seconds made his control snap.

She returned his enthusiasm by wrapping her arms tightly around his neck as one of his moved to her waist to press her up against him while the other wrapped around the back of her head. His lips moved against hers, their tongues meeting and their moans covered until she pulled away to gasp for breath.

"Where…did that…come from?" Elizabeth rasped.

"I don't know…" Will breathed, moving his lips to her neck, "Just you…are…so amazing…"

Meeting her gaze, he saw the warm need I her eyes. It had been a while since he saw her look at him like that. When they tried to be physically intimate, she would panic because the memory of Wickham telling her his sick fantasies about her were in her mind and she found it difficult to get rid of those memories.

"What do you want, Lizzy?" Will whispered, "What do you need?"

He noted how she bit her lip nervously at his questions. So many times, she had wanted them both to be able to make love and not be haunted by Wickham. He knew that she wanted to be able take that step without hearing Wickham's sick and haunting voice in her head which only made her freeze in fright as she recalled the frightening hours she had been held captive; scared at what Wickham was going to do to her had his sick fantasies worked out in his way.

"Make me forget…make me think of nothing but you…make love to me, Will…" Elizabeth whispered against his lips.

Nodding his head, Will pressed his lips to hers and scooped her into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist. He managed to get them to her bedroom, kicking the door closed with his right foot before placing her gently down on the bed. Hovering over her, he cupped her cheek and ran his fingers through her damp hair, locking his gaze with hers. Elizabeth looked up at him, a tiny smile on her face.

"This feels like a dream sometimes." Will muttered, his thumb brushing against her cheek.

Elizabeth frowned at him in confusion.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Looking at you, seeing how strong you are. Seeing the way you look at me, that genuine look of love that you've had in your eyes for so long…I don't know what I did to be so lucky to have you in my life…all I know is that I don't deserve you after everything I did…I don't know how you could forgive me… but you make me want to be a better person, Lizzy." Will replied softly.

She looked up at him sadly, her hands cupping his face.

"Enough of that. We all make mistakes, Will. And after everything that Wickham has done to us…I don't want to be a victim anymore…I want to be a fighter…I want us to be together because I love you…my forgiveness is mine to give and you have it…we're long past it now…" she stated.

"You are a fighter, Lizzy," Will said reassuringly, "The journey you've been walking these past months has been tough, but you are doing it so brilliantly."

"And you've been with me through all of it."

Elizabeth smiled up at him, leaning upwards to capture his mouth with her own; kissing him fiercely. Will groaned against her lips as he felt her fingers creep beneath his t-shirt. His heart hammered faster and faster in his chest as he broke away from her lips and allowed her to pull his t-shirt over his head and throw is on the bedroom floor.

The rest of their clothing was shed and tossed carelessly to the floor. Will ran his hands down her legs, noting how much he had missed touching the smooth skin beneath his fingers. She trembled as he gently stroked her skin, noticing how Elizabeth had closed her eyes and was biting her lip.

How he had missed this.

Will had missed the sight of her like this. He had missed the little noises of pleasure she made. He had missed touching her. Kissing her. Hearing her moan his name the way she did when he made love to her.

She had told him that she wanted to forget. That she wanted to think of nothing but him.

He wanted to bring her pleasure, fill her head with nothing but the wonderful things he wanted her to experience again.

Leaning down, he pressed his lips to her inner thigh, smiling as he heard Elizabeth let out a pleasurable moan. He continued his way upwards, taking in every sigh and moan and plea for more from his girlfriend's lips.

Looking up at her, she nodded her consent as he nudged her thighs further apart and pressed his mouth to her core. Elizabeth let out another pleasurable cry and grabbed the bedsheets with her fists.

ooOoo

The rain was still pouring outside the guesthouse. A gust of continuous wind swept through the tiny gap of Elizabeth's bedroom window which cooled down the room. Elizabeth sat up in the bed, wrapping the duvet tightly around her naked body as her bedroom door opened and her boyfriend stepped in, kicking the door shut behind him as he held two hot mugs of tea in his hands.

"Here you go." Will smiled, handing over one of the mugs over to her.

"Thanks." Elizabeth replied, placing the mug on her bedside table.

Will perched on the edge of the bed, his curly hair refusing to flatten from their active afternoon as if it had a mind of its own. Elizabeth smiled back at him, recalling how gentle he had been after months of being scared to overcome her fears. The entire time Will had gone at her pace, constantly asking if she was alright and assuring her that she only had to tell him to stop and he would if she wanted to. The entire time Will had deliciously tortured her, made her plead and want more of the pleasure he was giving her. During their lovemaking, Wickham's sick voice hadn't penetrated her thoughts, her ordeal hadn't held her back from being with the man that she loved. All that was running through her head was what it felt like to finally be with Will again.

"How are you feeling?" Will asked, curiously, taking a sip of his tea.

"Happy. Normal," Elizabeth replied lazily, grinning at him as she added "satisfied."

Will chuckled lightly as he put his mug next to hers on the bedside table and joined her back underneath the covers. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back to him.

"I love you." He whispered in her ear.

"Love you too." She whispered back.

As she looked over her shoulder at him and leaned up to capture his lips with hers, they heard their sisters calling their names. Groaning in disappointment, the two scrambled out of bed and put their clothes back on before heading out to join Lydia and Georgie in the living room.

Elizabeth watched as Will grabbed their teas and met the teenagers who were sat on the sofa, informing them of Jane and Charles' plan for the night and asking if they wanted to do something together. Picking up her phone, she tapped through to see what films were being shown at the cinema in Bury St. Edmunds for the four of them to see; she noted how this was the first time in months that she felt slightly like the person she had been prior to her ordeal. Maybe, this was a positive step in the right direction.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

It had been a week since her sisters had left Longbourn. Jane had enjoyed seeing them, especially as much as she had seen them both a lot recently. This weekend, it was her turn to spend it with her sisters in Portsmouth. She hadn't initially planned to travel again, especially as the weekend after this one was the August bank holiday weekend and she was fully booked up for it and needed to plan for it. But, it wouldn't be long before she wouldn't be able to see Elizabeth and Lydia so regularly as the contractors would soon be clearing the field for Longbourn's expansion into an inn rather than just a bed and breakfast. The expansion was something she was really looking forward to. The planning permission had been granted, the blueprints and plans for the land approved, the designs approved and in the autumn the building work for the expansion would begin.

Jane hauled her suitcase from her bedroom and dumped it in the hallway. There was another reason for spending the weekend in Portsmouth. She and Charles were attending the annual Rosings Park staff barbecue to celebrate Charles passing his teaching course and gaining a permanent position on the teaching staff.

"All ready to go?" Charles asked.

Jane nodded.

"All packed. Just need to get it in the car." She replied.

Charles placed a kiss to her cheek and tugged on the suitcase handle as he began to wheel it out on to the driveway. Jane followed, locking up the guesthouse as her boyfriend placed her suitcase in the back of her car.

"Do you think Lizzy and Lydia will be pleased for us?" Charles asked nervously, closing the boot of the car and wrapping an arm around her waist.

Jane looked up at him and nodded reassuringly. Under Dr. Richardson's advice, she was seeing a therapist at her local mental health unit to help her deal with her feelings about the events of the past two years and it was helping. For the first time in months, she felt that everything was moving forward. With her sisters, with Longbourn and her relationship with Charles.

"Of course, they will." Jane replied with a smile.

"They won't think it's too soon?" Charles asked.

"Do you think it's too soon?"

Charles shook his head.

"It's happening next summer. We'll have been together for nearly two years by then."

"All that matters is that we love each other and want this to work." Jane reminded him.

Charles nodded and smiled enthusiastically as they separated and climbed into the car. Maddie had offered to hold a family dinner when she had told her aunt that she and Charles had an announcement to make, with Charles inviting his family to the dinner. Luckily, Caroline had declined; apparently, she had 'better' things to do.

"What do you think your dad will say?" Jane asked curiously, strapping herself into the driver's seat.

"I think he'll have mixed feelings about it," Charles replied honestly, "A mixture of being happy for us and being sad."

"What about Will? Do you think that he'll be pleased?"

"I think the two of you need to have a talk and put this dislike to rest."

Jane nodded stiffly. Her dislike with Will stemmed from his inability to get over his past and commit to her sister and ignoring the warning signs from his ex-wife about Wickham. She hated seeing her sister hurting in those weeks before the abduction and she had blamed him for the abduction which had put her sister through a horrific ordeal. But, after weeks of talking it through with a therapist, she realised that she did need to speak to Will about it at some point; especially as Elizabeth was in love with him and wanted their relationship to work.

"I will talk to him. Eventually." Jane promised.

"Soon. He's my best mate and it's hard for me being stuck between the two of you." Charles stated.

"I know," Jane sighed, "It's just hard. But talking will clear the air and in time, hopefully I can fully let go of my anger and blame against him."

"I get why you're angry with him, I would be too if I were in your position. But try and think of it from Will's perspective. He was conned by a woman he had once loved and was committed to spending his life with and that affected him in more ways than one. Sarah warning him only made his distrust for her come to the surface again. Say hypothetically I had done to you what Sarah did to Will, would you take my warnings seriously?" Charles pointed out.

Jane sighed and shook her head. Her boyfriend had a point. If she had been in Will's situation, she wouldn't have taken the warnings about Wickham seriously either. She would have believed it to be another grand scheme or something.

"Alright, I get what you mean. I promise that I will talk to Will." She said defeatedly.

"This weekend?" Charles pressed.

"This weekend."

Saying nothing more on the subject, Jane switched on the engine and pulled out of the gravel driveway.

ooOoo

After her sister and Charles had arrived safely to Portsmouth, Elizabeth sat with her family around the crowded dining table. Four seats that were usually taken by herself, Lydia, Ed and Maddie were now squished in with seating for Charles, Jane, Will and Wesley Bingley. Only Lydia was absent, having been scheduled to work the close at work.

"This was very nice of you, Madeline. Offering to host dinner for my son and Jane. I hope we aren't putting you out by cooking more than you normally would." Wesley said politely.

"It's no trouble. I'm used to cooking for a lot of people. When Jane, Elizabeth and Lydia were young I used to cook large Christmas dinners for the three of them, their father plus my two children and Ed's sister Jennifer and her family. So, eight people is nothing, really." Maddie smiled in reply.

"Large family you have, Edward?" Wesley asked with a chuckle.

"Maddie and I have a son and daughter: Oliver and Ruby. Oliver is married and lives out of Portsmouth and Ruby is overseas doing charity work. I have two sisters. Jinny and Fran. But, we hardly see them these days." Ed replied.

"Busy lives?" Charles asked.

"Well, Fran isn't really big on family these days. Jinny lives in Canada with her husband. Their children are over there as well. But we saw Fran's girls and ex-husband a lot over the years so that's what counts." Ed replied happily.

"Family is what counts. So, Charlie m'boy, what is it you and Jane wanted to announce to us?" Wesley asked curiously.

Elizabeth noted how everyone's eyes darted to look straight at Jane and Charles. She watched how Charles nervously cleared his throat for the announcement and Jane tapped her fingers against the edge of the dining table.

"Jane and I have been talking…we've been together for nearly a year now…and the long distance is getting quite tiring…but I've already signed my teaching contract for the new academic year which starts in a few weeks…"

"You're splitting up?" Elizabeth questioned, confused.

Jane shook her head as she met Elizabeth's gaze.

"No. But it's quite tiring having one of us travel up to Thurston or the other travelling to Portsmouth every other weekend just to see each other. I can't move the B&B and Charles must stay in his teaching role for a year otherwise he has to pay back the teaching course fees. So, we decided…that this time next year…Charles won't renew his teaching contract at Rosings…" Jane answered.

"And Longbourn will be starting to establish itself as an inn rather than a B&B. I'm going to move up there to be with Jane next summer and look for a teaching position in Thurston." Charles announced.

There was a moment of silence at the dining table as everyone started to process Charles and Jane's news. Elizabeth thought the news was brilliant. Her sister and Charles had obviously thought things through and talked about the next step of their relationship a lot for them to decide to wait until the end of the new academic year to move in together. In her opinion, it was quite sensible. But before she could even voice her congratulations to her sister and Charles, there was an impatient knock on the front door. Maddie frowned, moving from the dining room to answer the door; only to have Caroline push past and storm into the house.

"Caroline!" Wesley scolded.

"My apologies for my lateness." Caroline said sarcastically to Maddie.

"It's-"

"But I'm here now, let us start the dinner!" Caroline pressed.

Maddie closed the door behind Caroline, a look of pure annoyance etched on her face. Elizabeth clenched her fists at the edge of the dining table, feeling her anger rise. She couldn't help it. Having Caroline burst into her home, just as they were about to eat and celebrate Charles and Jane's good news, brought the anger she felt at the role Caroline had played in Oscar's death to the surface. If it hadn't been for Caroline's lies, her ex-boyfriend wouldn't have come to Portsmouth and would still be alive.

Standing up from her chair, she felt everyone's eyes on her as she met Caroline's icy stare.

"You're not welcome here." Elizabeth stated bluntly.

"Of course, I am!" Caroline insisted with a hiss, "I was invited."

"And you declined the invitation. Now get out of here before I throw you out." Elizabeth warned.

Caroline glared at her as Wesley stood from the table, looking at Elizabeth with a confused expression.

"May I ask why you have a problem with my daughter being here?" he asked.

Elizabeth scoffed in disbelief. It seemed that Wesley wasn't aware of Caroline's lies.

"Didn't the police question your daughter about the role she played in causing my ex-boyfriend's death?" she questioned.

Wesley turned to look at Caroline.

"What is she talking about, Carrie?"

Elizabeth met the evil stare she was getting from the woman. She felt Will stand up behind her and place his arm around her waist; as if letting her know silently that she had his support.

"I have no idea what she is talking about, daddy." Caroline lied.

Elizabeth lunged forwards but was held back by her boyfriend.

"Carrie, if there is something going on then you need to tell us," Charles urged, "Are you in trouble? Did you know Oscar Pierce?"

Wesley groaned as he rubbed his forehead with his fingers before making a disappointed and disgusted look at his daughter.

"You were involved in the murder that took place down here?" the old Bingley shouted.

Caroline shook her head, still intent on lying.

"I didn't have any involvement! Daddy…you have to believe me…"

"Time and time again you lie and try to cause trouble! Tell me the fucking truth for once in your sad little life!" Wesley roared.

Caroline looked shocked and embarrassed at her father's outburst. But she refused to answer for her part in Oscar's death.

"What exactly has my daughter done, Elizabeth?"

Turning to Wesley, Elizabeth took a deep breath before answering.

"She told my ex-boyfriend that I was having employment issues and trouble in my relationship with Will. Caroline made Oscar believe that there was hope of a reconciliation between us to which I corrected the lies he had been told and then was kidnapped, tortured and murdered by George Wickham." She explained.

"I think you need to leave." Maddie insisted, clamping her hand roughly around Caroline's wrist and dragging her to the front door.

"But…But…I was invited…" Caroline stammered in protest.

"And the invitation has been rescinded. I don't want your sort in my house!" Maddie hissed.

Caroline tried to fight her way past Maddie, but Wesley strode across the room, opened the front door and threw his daughter out into the street.

"I'll deal with you later!" Wesley growled, slamming the door to a close.

The once pleased atmosphere that had once given the families the chance to celebrate Charles and Jane's happy news had now turned sour.

"I apologise for my daughter. I had no idea that she would show up after declining the invitation. Nor did I have any knowledge about her lies to your ex-boyfriend, Elizabeth." Wesley sighed heavily.

"If she hadn't told Oscar those lies…he'd still be alive…"

"I know what my daughter is, but she didn't have any involvement with George Wickham directly. I understand the pain you must feel, losing someone you were once close to, but placing blame with Caroline isn't the answer." Wesley said defensively.

Charles stood up from his chair and faced his father, looking slightly angry.

"Are you seriously trying to justify Caroline's actions? Elizabeth hasn't said or blamed my sister for Oscar's murder, but what she did say was true. If Caroline hadn't told Oscar those lies, he would still be alive because he wouldn't have come looking for Lizzy in the first place!" Charles argued.

"Charles, can we talk about this at home? Can we just eat dinner and celebrate the news that you and Jane have shared with us all?" Wesley asked.

With everyone else murmuring their agreement, everyone took to their seats and ate as Maddie served them all dinner.

ooOoo

Once the dinner had been eaten, Wesley Bingley had shared his thanks, apologies and farewells and had left the Gardiner residence. The rest of them helped to clear the table, wash and dry the dirty plates and glasses and cutlery and put it back in their right places before sitting down in the living room.

"Well that was definitely an eventful dinner." Jane sighed.

"Families eh?" Charles muttered, placing a kiss to his girlfriend's forehead.

The front door opened and closed quickly, with Lydia kicking her shoes off in the hallway before joining them all in the living room.

"Hey Lydi, how was work?" Elizabeth asked.

Lydia let out a yawn and shrugged.

"Weekend closes suck! One down, just tomorrows to get through."

"Sad to say, you'll soon miss being in full-time education in a few years." Will chuckled.

Lydia shrugged her shoulders as she was filled in with the events of the evening. Will watched as the look of surprise formed on Lydia's face once she was told that Charles would be moving into Longbourn next summer. Will was pleased for his friend, it had been a long time coming to see Charles settle down. His friend had been mad about the girls when they were teenagers, always appreciating a pretty face and personality but he had never been able to make a relationship last long-term. So tonight, hearing Charles and Jane announce their plans and the reasoning behind the long wait to move in together, Will thought they were both being sensible.

"It just seems like you'll be waiting a long time, is all." Lydia said.

"It is a long time before it happens," Jane agreed, "But, we both had a talk about where we wanted our relationship to go and the difficulties with our jobs at this present time. It just made sense that once Longbourn's expansion had been completed and Charles had fulfilled his teacher training employment contract, then would be the ideal time to move our relationship forward."

"So, what will you do until then?" Will asked curiously.

"We'll work something out. Jane will be too busy to come down every weekend and she doesn't want me driving to her every weekend because she thinks it's unfair." Charles replied, nudging his girlfriend in the ribs.

"I'm sure you'll both work something out. I hope it works out for you both and you'll both be very happy." Will said warmly.

He noticed that Jane was smiling at him awkwardly and he returned her gesture with a reassuring smile of his own. The past few months had been awkward between Will and Jane, but he had promised to try and be civil for Elizabeth's sake, and it had been hard at times. But it seemed that Jane was willing to try to be polite to him, after all; they had Elizabeth in common.

"Will, can I talk to you for a minute please? Privately?" Jane asked.

"Um…sure…" Will replied hesitantly.

He got up from his seat and followed Jane out into the Gardiner's back garden, so they had some privacy. Looking down at his girlfriend's sister, he noted how nervous Jane seemed to be now that it was just the two of them without the others around for her to be civil towards him.

"I just wanted to say…I'm sorry that I've been hard on you for the past few months. After everything that happened with Lizzy, I blamed you for what she went through, and I didn't consider how much hurt you had felt from past events which made you skeptical about those warnings about Wickham. So, I wanted to apologise for how I've treated you. I've got a lot to come to terms with but hopefully, given some time, we can put this behind us and build a friendship."

Will felt surprised by her apology and explanation. He hadn't been expecting Jane to apologise for the hostility she had had towards him over the past few months.

"I get why you don't like me, I've made some mistakes which hurt your sister. I didn't mean to hurt Lizzy, but I do understand it from your point of view. When Georgie was drugged by that boy, I wanted to kill him. I had never felt that angry before when someone had tried to hurt my little sister." Will explained.

"It's not a nice feeling," Jane agreed, "Hearing Lizzy confide in me about the issues that were going on with the two of you, it made me feel even more useless. My sisters are all I have left in this world and being so far apart from them when they need to talk to me breaks my heart."

"I think we all have some demons that we need to defeat. We've all had a rough few months, Lizzy especially. But, we need to come through this together and not let Wickham tear everything apart. I hope that in time, we can move forward and be friends." Will stated.

Jane gave him a slight smile and a nod. With that, the two of them returned to the others with an understanding.

ooOoo

The annual staff barbecue was something that Will had been dreading. He wasn't even on the staff, but his role on the board of governors meant that he was expected to attend the event. He would rather have spent his Saturday doing going to lunch with Elizabeth, Charles and Jane but instead, he had to spend the afternoon tolerating his insufferable aunt. Rolling up his shirt sleeves to his elbows, he walked downstairs for breakfast, thanking Alice as she passed him the post and plate of toast.

Will took a bite out of a slice of toast while opening the first letter. Reading the first paragraph made him forget his breakfast. As he tried to process the information from the letter, he saw Georgiana enter the kitchen out of the corner of his eye.

"Morning bro, what plans do you have today?" his sister asked cheerily, taking the seat opposite him at the kitchen table.

Will looked up at his sister, dropping the letter on the table as he cleared his throat.

"Georgie has Dennis Wickham mentioned anything to you about his Rosings tuition lately?" Will asked curiously.

His sister looked away from him sheepishly as she took a plate of toast from Alice before the housekeeper went back to making herself something to eat.

"He made me promise not to say anything to you." Georgiana sighed.

"You might as well tell me. Apparently, our lovely aunt Catherine has written to the family lawyer stating that Dennis Wickham's tuition fees are no longer required to be paid to the school because his education is no longer taking place there for the next two years." Will informed her.

"Denny told me a while ago that Catherine was considering kicking him out of school because of his familial connection to murderers." Georgiana muttered.

"So, why didn't you tell me sooner?" Will pressed.

"He asked me not to say anything. Denny believes that you wouldn't help him or his mum out after what his brother and father have done." Georgiana replied.

Will sighed heavily. During the first few weeks after Elizabeth had been rescued from the nightclub basement, he and his sister had talked about her friendship with Dennis Wickham and how he felt uncomfortable with her continuing said friendship. And Georgie had protested, stating that Denny was nothing like his sadistic family members.

"I won't deny that the situation is difficult. But our dad and Harriet were friends for decades before he died, and he wanted Denny to have a good education and paid for the remaining years Denny had at Rosings before his death. If Harriet knew that her son was facing expulsion by our aunt, then she should have come to me." Will sighed.

"Put yourself in her shoes, Will!" Georgiana declared, "Do you really think Harriet would want to ask you for help when her eldest son, not only tried to screw you over once, but tried to kill your ex-wife and current girlfriend?"

"I suppose I can understand why she wouldn't want to come to me. But, our father wanted Denny to have the best education possible in this city. It was our father's wish that Harriet's son would have opportunities. I'm not some petty person who would go against what our father wanted and stated in his will."

"I know that. So, what are you going to do?"

Will took a bite out of his toast as Alice took to the kitchen table and opened up the morning paper, listening to their conversation but not yet offering an input.

"I can talk to the admin office at the school, pay for his tuition in person." Will suggested.

"But then you would be wasting the money if Catherine has already wiped Denny from the school register." Georgiana pointed out.

"I really don't want to face her today-"

"Do you want to know what I would do?" Alice offered, not looking up from the paper.

"What's that?" Georgiana asked.

Alice looked at the two of them and smiled wickedly.

"Fitzwilliam, you have an unwanted power at the school. Why not use it to your advantage?" the housekeeper suggested.

Will raised an eyebrow.

"There's an idea." He agreed.

Once their breakfast had been eaten, Will thanked Alice for the breakfast and headed into the living room to make some phone calls.

Later that afternoon, once the phone calls had been made and he was feeling a lot calmer about his aunt going against his father's wishes, he dropped Georgiana off at work and picked up Elizabeth and drove them to the school.

"How are you feeling?" Will asked his girlfriend, noting how quiet she seemed.

"Nervous. I haven't been back to work since before my ordeal. The only ones who have tried to keep in touch are Charlotte and Aimee and even then, it wasn't as often." Elizabeth replied quietly.

"We don't have to go if you don't want to." Will stated supportively.

"I know. But I'll be returning to work part-time in a few weeks, so it won't do me any favours if I skip this barbecue."

"Are you sure?"

Elizabeth nodded as Will pulled into the Rosings staff car park, switching off the engine and exiting the vehicle. The two of them walked on to the fields that the school used for PE lessons and greeted the staff members that were already gathered on the tables that were placed on the field. Will watched as Elizabeth sat with Charlotte Lucas and Aimee Long, striking up a conversation with her colleagues just as Charles and Jane took to the same table. Whispering his reason to leave her, Will walked over to his aunt.

"Ah Fitzwilliam, I'm very happy that you came!" Catherine greeted enthusiastically.

"May we speak privately?" Will asked curtly.

Catherine frowned but nodded her agreement as the two began to walk a slight distance out of earshot.

"What is the matter, nephew?" his aunt questioned impatiently.

"I had a letter from my lawyer informing me that you are sending back the money my father stated in his last will and testament was to be used to pay the tuition fees for Dennis Wickham. Are you excluding him from the school?" Will pressed.

"Indeed I am. The boy doesn't deserve a place in my school after what his family members have done." Catherine tutted bitterly.

Will shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Catherine, that money was specifically supposed to pay Dennis Wickham's school fees until the age of eighteen. The boy has done nothing for you to exclude him!"

"His brother and father murdered an innocent man! They tried to kill your ex-wife-"

"I'm not really a firm believer in sins of the father passing on to the next generation. The boy has gotten good grades in his GCSEs, hasn't he?" Will interrupted.

"Well…that's hardly the point…I have the school's-"

"Spare me the 'reputation' excuse. That's all you care about, how it all looks. You don't care about the wellbeing of your students if something bad happens."

"That's not true!" Catherine insisted with a hiss.

"Really? You tried to pressure Georgiana to return to school before she was ready after her attempted rape by an older student. You never once showed any concern in her wellbeing, only how it would look on the school's reputation by her taking time off after a horrifying ordeal." Will reminded his aunt.

"And what is so bad with putting the reputation of my school first?"

"It's wrong when you only put the school's reputation first. Rosings Park is more than just a name. It's the students who make it what it is. And by excluding a good student like Dennis Wickham would damage the school's reputation."

Catherine came to a stop and turned to face him, narrowing her eyes in an evil glare.

"I insist you not interfere-"

Will held his hand up in front of his aunt, causing her to fall silent and become more frustrated with him.

"I believe that you aren't doing an adequate job as the headteacher of this school. A headteacher has to care more about the reputation of the school. They have to care about performance and wellbeing of their students and their staff. I've spoken to the other members on the board of governors and we all agree that you, from the first of September, are on a probation."

"PROBATION?!" Catherine yelled furiously.

"For three months. If you don't improve during the first term of the academic year, then the board will replace you with someone else on the Rosings staff." Will stated.

"But…But…"

"And while we know that your late husband left you the building, you only own forty-nine percent of the building. Anne owns the rest. And my cousin is backing the board of governors with her full support, it appears she's sick of the way things are being handled at Rosings."

"This is an outrage!" Catherine hissed.

"Consider this a warning, you need to make some changes. Starting with reinstating Dennis Wickham into the sixth form and accepting my father's money to pay for it, just like he wished it to be spent this way." Will warned.

With nothing more to say to his aunt, Will strode back over to the table where his girlfriend was sitting.

ooOoo

If there was one thing that Lydia had come to dislike about her working life, it was that her shifts had been made longer and she was now being given more responsibility like participating on the closing shifts of the café. After finishing cleaning down the coffee machine, Lydia turned to Jimmy who was counting the food waste.

"When did Kerry say to lock the doors?" Lydia asked.

"She said that she'd come through and lock them herself when she was finished doing the stock count, she'll be done in five minutes or so." Jimmy replied.

"Do you need any help?"

"Nah, I'm alright. Are you finished up?"

Lydia nodded, looking around the empty café and the last few customers who were making their way to the lifts to get back to their cars walked past Boswell's. The floors had been mopped, the tables and chairs wiped down, Jimmy had taken care of cleaning the kitchen whilst their supervisor Kerry had been in charge of the management close of the café. Jimmy walked back through to the kitchen to discard the waste when Lydia turned back to the coffee machine and switched off the coffee machine when she heard the café doors open.

She stood frozen to the spot as the woman who had entered the café walked over to the counter. Lydia felt her heart racing faster, as the woman who had abandoned her when she was a year old stood in front of her on the other side of the counter.

"Hello Lydia." Fran greeted awkwardly.

Clearing her throat, Lydia placed her hands across her chest and stared back at Francine in disbelief.

"What are you doing here? Are you stalking me or something?" she demanded.

Fran shook her head.

"No…well I saw you passing through town the other day and noticed that you worked here…I thought-"

"You thought what?"

Fran shifted uncomfortably on the spot, not meeting Lydia's stare.

"I thought we could talk." The woman mumbled.

"I don't think so. Ed told me that you met him a few weeks ago, he told you then that we didn't need you. As I recall, you told me not that long ago that you never wanted kids. So why bother trying to get in touch now?" Lydia said harshly.

"I deserve that. But, I've been doing a lot of thinking recently." Fran mumbled.

"I don't want to hear it."

"But…I'm your mother…won't you hear me out?"

Lydia scoffed in disbelief.

"You're not my mother. You're just the woman who gave birth to me! Lizzy and Jane have been more of a mother to me than you ever were!"

Before anymore could be said between them, Kerry and Jimmy appeared from the direction of the office and stared between the two of them with confused expressions on their faces.

"I'm sorry but we're closing now, you need to leave." Kerry stated firmly to Fran.

Fran nodded and turned to walk back towards the door and left the café. Lydia thanked her supervisor as Kerry handed over Lydia's bag and turned off the café lights. Exiting the café with Jimmy, they said their goodbyes to Kerry, leaving her behind to lock up the café as the two colleagues walked out of the empty shopping centre and on to the equally empty high street.

"What was all that about?" Jimmy questioned nosily.

"What was what all about?" Lydia answered stubbornly.

"That woman you were having words with in the café. She didn't look like a customer. She looked like she knew you."

"She doesn't know me. Not really."

The two of them stopped as Lydia took a seat on the edge of the fountain, trying to process that she had seen her absent mother for the first time since December. She hadn't ever expected to see Fran ever again after she had been told that her mother had never wanted children in the first place. And seeing Fran turn up at her place of work, unannounced, had shook her slightly.

"So…who is she then?" Jimmy asked curiously.

"Why are you so desperate to know?" Lydia bite back harshly.

Jimmy blinked and frowned before sitting down next to her on the edge of the fountain.

"I didn't mean to be nosy. You just seemed on edge and wondered if that woman had upset you in some way?"

Lydia exhaled heavily as she stared around the empty high street. She didn't know why, but she found herself feeling slightly guilty because Jimmy was showing an interest in her feelings when she had snapped at him quite harshly.

"I wasn't expecting to see her ever again. How can she think that I'd want to ever see her again after she told me that she had never wanted children?" she ranted.

"So…she's your mum…" Jimmy concluded.

"Mum is a bit of a stretch. She walked out on me when I was a year old. I was raised by my older sisters and my dad." Lydia said icily.

"Oh…so your reaction to her is justified then."

"Fourteen years we hear nothing from her and then she just turns up expecting a happy reunion?! Is she serious?"

"For what it's worth, I know how you feel."

Lydia turned to Jimmy, frowning.

"Your mum didn't walk out on you. You told me that you had a mum." She reminded him.

"It's true, I have a mum who raised me. But my dad walked out on me when I was three. So, I know how you feel. My dad just didn't want to know, and my mum blamed me for the pressures their relationship faced so she just let me do my own thing. I never had any parent guiding me in the ways of right and wrong. My mum didn't teach me a lot; as soon as I showed any kind of independence I was on my own." Jimmy explained.

"I suppose you just had really useless parents." Lydia sighed.

"That's one way to look at it. But I try to think that I'm eighteen soon and I'll be off to university this time next year and I can start afresh." Jimmy said brightly.

"Moving here was supposed to be my fresh start."

"How come?"

Lydia met his curious gaze and returned his encouraging smile. Jimmy meant well, she knew that. But she wasn't ready to divulge her entire life story to a boy she had only known for a few weeks. Maybe, the two of them could become friends (even if he didn't think before he spoke at times) but she wasn't going to tell him all the reasons why she needed a fresh start.

"It's a long story." Lydia said quietly.

"I'm a good listener." Jimmy smiled.

Lydia stood up from the fountain edge and pulled her bag more tightly over her shoulder.

"Maybe some other time." Lydia smiled.

Jimmy stood up, gently moving his fingers to a strand of hair and pulling out a blossom that had fallen from one of the surrounding trees and had gotten stuck in Lydia's hair. He seemed to linger for a moment before stepping back from her.

"Are you going to be alright getting home?" Jimmy asked.

Lydia nodded.

"I'll be fine, thanks."

As she turned to walk off in the direction that would take her home, she heard Jimmy calling her name.

"Lydia."

"What is it?" Lydia asked loudly, turning to face him.

"I'm having a party in two weekends time for my eighteenth, I was wondering if you'd like to come? You can bring some people along if you like." Jimmy offered.

Lydia bit her lip nervously. She usually avoiding parties where heavy drinking would be involved; she'd had her fill of those during her rebellious streak. But seeing Jimmy look at her like he desperately wanted her to say yes and knowing he would be disappointed if she declined, made her push her worries to the back of her mind.

"Sure. I'll be there. Just let me know time, date and address."

Jimmy beamed happily before giving her an awkward hug and giving her a final 'goodbye' before heading off in the other direction for home. Pulling her earphones out of her bag, she connected them to her mobile and played some music; trying to fill her head with something else other than the demons of her past.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

The summer holidays had come to an end, but the hot weather was showing no signs of disappearing any time soon. Lydia stood outside the school gates dressed in her sixth form uniform: a plain blue skirt rather than checked, a white shirt and jumper with the school's logo, not to forget the plain blue tie that came with it. It was a Friday, the school's secondary education students weren't due to return to school until Monday, today it was only the sixth form students required to go in to resettle and learn what was expected of the new starters.

"Are you excited?" a voice asked her brightly.

Turning around, she greeted her best friend with a warm smile and turned back to stare at the school gates.

"A little. It's a whole new chapter. It's kind of scary." Lydia replied.

Georgiana nodded her head in agreement.

"At least we don't have lessons today. It's just ice breakers to get to know the A-Level teachers and what happens during the school. Oh, and we get to know our new tutor."

"Are you happy with your course choices?" Lydia questioned.

"It took me a while, but I've decided to do just the three A-Levels this year: Psychology, Classical Music and Law," Georgiana answered confidently, "How about you? I know you were a little conflicted about your choices."

Lydia nodded her agreement. Ever since they had gotten their A-Level brochures all those months ago, she and her friends had been torn between what course they wanted to commit to for the next two years of their lives. The A-Level curriculum provided sixth formers with a wider variety of choice to gain qualifications than the secondary school curriculum, which meant that Lydia and her friends had a lot of subjects that they were interested in. However, they were limited to a minimum of three courses and a maximum of five.

"We have four weeks to decide before it's too late to change courses. But I'm happy to stick with three and I'm really interested in pursuing a psychology degree once we leave sixth form." Lydia said with a smile.

"At least we'll both be together in psychology classes. Unless you feel like changing to Law?"

Lydia laughed and shook her head.

"I think I'll stick with Media Studies, Psychology and Photography."

As the two girls continued to chat about the possibilities that were ahead of them, they were joined by a nervous looking Denny.

"Nervous?" Lydia smiled.

"A tad. My future here was uncertain for a while, and to have a letter in the post to say that I wasn't being expelled was a relief. But I wish I knew why Mrs. de Bourgh changed her mind." Denny said, his voice filled with surprise.

Lydia shrugged her shoulders, she didn't know why the headteacher had suddenly gone back on her wish to expel Denny from Rosings. As the three teenagers moved inside the school gates and into the reception, she noticed that Georgiana's facial expression change to indicate that she might just know the reason behind Catherine de Bourgh's change of heart.

"Georgie, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Pulling her friend to one side, Denny looked a little confused as he stood on the other side of the reception to wait for them. Lydia looked at Georgiana with an eyebrow raised, as her best friend turned a light shade of pink.

"What?" Georgiana muttered.

"You know why your aunt changed her mind, don't you?" Lydia asked amusingly.

"Not so loud!" Georgiana shushed, "I don't want Denny to know."

"Why not?"

"Because he kind of didn't want me to say anything. But then Will got this letter from our lawyer which told him that Catherine had sent back the tuition money that our dad put aside for Denny's school fees. So, I told my brother that Denny had known for a while that his future at Rosings was up in the air."

"And then what happened?" Lydia asked curiously.

Georgiana exhaled before looking around to make sure there was nobody who could overhear their conversation. Denny was still stood on the other side of the reception flicking through his phone notifications and the receptionist was busy answering the many phone calls the front desk was receiving. Lydia poked her friend impatiently when Georgiana's gaze lingered slightly too long on their waiting friend.

"What?" Georgiana asked hazily.

Lydia raised an eyebrow, smiling amusingly at her friend as Georgiana's pink tint to her cheeks reddened further.

"So…what did Will do after you told him about Denny's problem?"

"Well…Alice reminded him about being on the board of governors…and they've put Catherine on probation. She has three months to prove she cares about other things than the school's reputation and told Denny that he still had his place here…"

"Wow…so the headteacher has been put in her place?" Lydia mused.

Georgiana nodded, looking back over her shoulder at Denny. Lydia watched as her two friends shared a warm look and smirked. It was obvious that her two friends still had deeper feelings for each other but were hiding behind their friendship. It was understandable, both had been through difficult times over the past year.

As the two girls walked back over to their waiting friend, the bell rag to indicate the start of the school day.

ooOoo

It was her first day back and it felt like she was seeing her medical room and office for the first time again. As the morning progressed, she had gone through the work emails, organized her filing cabinets and made herself familiar with any new students that were starting Rosings who had to keep medicine in the medical room. The agreement was that for the first term of the new academic year she would work on a part-time basis and keep attending her weekly therapy sessions with Dr. Richardson. The plan was to review her progress just before Christmas and come up with an action plan to go forward with her life. She hoped by then that Wickham's trial would have taken place and he'd be behind bars for the rest of his life.

Outside the medical room, she heard the bell ring to signal the start of lunch time. Her first half-day had been completed. Nothing major had happened. As she logged off her computer, gathered up her belongings and locked up the office and medical room, she heard Charles calling her name through the crowd of students.

"How was your first day back?" Charles asked brightly when he finally reached her.

Elizabeth shrugged.

"Hardly eventful. I'm sure once the secondary school students are back next week my workload will increase." She replied.

"But are you glad to be back?"

"I'm not sure. I know I must slowly ease back into a normal life after what happened but it's hard to occupy my thoughts when there is hardly anything to keep me busy. In this environment, it's just a case of sorting out paperwork, reading through new cases of students, reading emails and the odd medical emergency that needs my attention. I know being a school nurse is entirely different, but I miss a more hands-on approach to nursing."

"I suppose I understand. Are you meeting Will for lunch or do you want to eat with me?" Charles asked.

"I'll eat with you." Elizabeth smiled.

The two colleagues walked up the hall and entered the staff room, only to find that the room, which had once been buzzing with conversation, had now fallen silent upon their entry. Elizabeth felt self-conscious as she and Charles sat at an empty table, feeling the eye of her colleagues staring at her as she pulled a small lunchbox out of her bag.

"Just ignore them." Charles muttered under his breath.

Elizabeth smiled, keeping her attention on Charles as she took a large bite out of her sandwich. She felt grateful that her friend was trying to take her mind off the stares of their colleagues.

"So, have you and Will made any plans this weekend?" Charles asked.

"We're taking Alice shopping for her birthday on Saturday. We were going to take Lydia and Georgie too but both girls have a day shift and then they're going to a party that evening." Elizabeth replied.

"What does Georgiana do?"

"She works at a private tutoring company."

"That's different. Most sixteen-year-olds start out working in retail."

"She seems to enjoy herself with it. Will found it strange when she said that she was going to find a job, it's not like she needs to work. But, it's a good way for her to actually know the meaning of earning your own money and giving her a chance to explore her options. She may want to pursue a teaching career if she likes the tutoring so much." Elizabeth explained.

"Teaching can be very rewarding." Charles agreed.

The two colleagues continued to talk while eating their lunch, all the while listening to the various sounds of chatter that filled the staff room. It seemed that while her colleagues had taken to staring at her as she ate her lunch with Charles, they had quickly gotten bored and had returned to their previous conversations once it became apparent that Elizabeth had chosen to ignore their stares.

Before they knew it, their catch-up came to an end when the bell rang to start off the school afternoon. Seeing a text from her boyfriend telling her that he was waiting for her in the reception, Elizabeth said her goodbyes to Charles and left the staff room; reflecting on how her first day back at work had gone.

ooOoo

Jimmy waited outside the school gates anxiously, watching as the students began to exit the school in large groups. The sound of them chattering about the different aspects of their day. He felt a surge of nerves fill him as he waited, hoping to catch a glimpse of the girl he couldn't stop thinking about. At first, he and Lydia Bennet had gotten off on the wrong foot, it was more a case of him not knowing when to shut up or not to talk about sensitive subjects that offended her. But the last few weeks, he had noticed she had been a bit warmer when they spoke to each other; especially after the unexpected visit from her absent mother.

He took a deep breath when he heard her familiar laugh in the crowd of sixth formers. His eyes scanned the crowd.

At last, he saw her.

She was smiling and talking to a boy, nudging him in the ribs as they shared a private joke. Just observing the two of them together, it made his heart sink in his chest. Of course, she had a boyfriend. A pretty girl like Lydia was bound to have a boyfriend. There was no way that a girl like Lydia, living in a world of private education, expensive school uniforms and fees would ever be interested in someone like him.

He turned around to walk away but stopped in his tracks.

"Jimmy!"

Turning around to face her, he smiled awkwardly as he noticed her looking at him in surprise.

"Hi Lydia…" Jimmy mumbled shyly.

"What are you doing here?" Lydia asked curiously.

"It doesn't matter." Jimmy said, shrugging his shoulders.

As he turned to walk away again, he heard Lydia tell the boy to wait for her before she wrapped her tiny hand around his bicep and led Jimmy a few feet away from the school gates. He hadn't expected her touch to be so…soft…and warm…

Lydia came to a slow stop and looked up at him. Her blue eyes looked up at him so curiously, so full of concern and wonder…

"I think if you've come to my school, then it must be something. What's the matter?" she questioned.

Jimmy tugged at his collar, suddenly feeling a little hot. He didn't even know why he had shown up at her school...well…he did. His mother had cancelled his birthday party and he didn't want to celebrate his birthday tomorrow alone.

"It's nothing…not really…important…" Jimmy rambled, "I just wanted to let you know…I thought in person would be better…that my party has been cancelled…"

"Oh. That's a shame. My friends and I were looking forward to it." Lydia said sadly.

"Right. So, I just wanted to let you know. I'll let you get back to your boyfriend."

He watched as she frowned.

"Boyfriend? I don't have a boyfriend."

Jimmy felt himself light up upon hearing that the girl he liked didn't have a boyfriend. But then…why did she look so close with the boy she had been walking out of school with?

"Oh…then who is…" Jimmy stammered, gesturing towards the boy.

Lydia looked around and then looked back to him again.

"Denny? You think Denny is my boyfriend?" she asked with a smile.

Jimmy shrugged, feeling even more like an idiot for jumping to conclusions.

"Oh…I just saw how close the two of you are…"

"Denny is more like the brother I've never had. He's one of my best friends. Why did you think he was my boyfriend?" Lydia smiled.

He felt his heart beating faster in his chest. A bead of sweat slowly began to drip down his forehead. Now was his chance. If he wanted to ask her to spend some time with him, just the two of them, it was now.

"Jimmy?" Lydia pressed, her voice filled with concern.

"Willyou...goto...dinnerwithme?" he blurted out, quicker than he should have.

She paused for a moment, taking in what he had said. And although there were only a few seconds of silence between them, Jimmy could have sworn that they were the longest of his life.

"Dinner with you? Just the two of us?" Lydia asked, wanting clarification.

He nodded, giving her a shy smile.

"Yeah. Look, my mum cancelled my party, I've had a really shit day and it's my actual birthday tomorrow and I don't want to be alone. I want to spend some time with you, that is, if you want to spend some time with me..." Jimmy rambled.

"Alright."

Jimmy grinned from ear to ear at the confirmation that she would go out with him.

"Great! I'll text you later?" he suggested.

Lydia nodded, smiling warmly at him as she turned to walk back to her friend; leaving Jimmy to wonder just where he was going to take her out for dinner tomorrow night.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

"Urgh… why is it I have nothing decent to wear!" Lydia complained.

She threw the last dress that she owned on to her bed, feeling frustrated that no item of clothing she owned was good enough for her to wear to her dinner with Jimmy tonight. Ever since Jimmy had shown up at her school the previous day and asked her to go out with him for dinner, she had been having mixed emotions about it. Excitement because she finally recognised that she liked Jimmy, more than she had originally thought. She felt nervous because she hadn't really had a proper first date before. Anxious because her past with Jamie had made her swear she wasn't going to even like another boy, let alone trust them.

"We'll find you something to wear." Georgiana smiled reassuringly.

"I don't even know where we're going for dinner! I don't know if I'm supposed to get too dressed up or if it's something to dress casually. I don't even know why I agreed to this in the first place!" Lydia groaned.

"You agreed to go out with him because you like him." Georgiana reminded her with a giggle.

"I do. But I don't want to…what if I'm setting myself up again, Gee? What if-"

"I doubt he's anything like Jamie. Sure, he doesn't think before he speaks sometimes and some of the things he does say offend you. The two of you haven't exactly had the smoothest start since you met but he seems to like you."

"I suppose so. He seemed so nervous when we spoke yesterday. He even assumed that Denny was my boyfriend!" Lydia said, shrugging her shoulders.

She noticed her best friend had looked away and down at a pair of jeans she had started fiddling with, her face covered by the mass of blonde curly hair that she had decided to wear down today. Lydia sat on the edge of her bed, clicking her tongue until Georgiana looked up at her.

"What?" Georgiana asked quietly.

"You like Denny, don't you?"

Georgiana nodded sadly.

"I can't stop thinking about him when we're apart. And when we're together, I catch him looking at me and the way he smiles…it makes me feel like there is nobody else in the world…he really cares about me…he wants me to be happy…he's been there for me throughout everything the last year…but I don't know if we'll ever be more than friends." Her best friend sighed.

Lydia took hold of her best friend's hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Georgie, why?"

"We've hardly had the best start when we try to push for more than friendship with each other. In year nine, Laura manipulated the situation and made us stop talking. I didn't stand up for him whenever Laura made him her personal target the following two years. I refused to listen to his warning about Gregory. And now, we're friends again. Good friends. Best friends. But with everything that's happened between his brother and my brother, I don't think our families would approve if we did become romantically involved."

"And do you? Want to be romantically involved with Denny? Despite everything that's happened?" Lydia asked gently.

Georgiana nodded stiffly.

"Yeah. He told me a while ago that one of his workmates asked him out on a date, but he declined. It made me jealous. I know that Denny would treat me right and make me feel safe but…I don't know if he would want to pursue something more with me…" her friend smiled sadly.

"Look at us…we're a right pair of mixed-up girls, aren't we?" Lydia joked.

"I hope it won't always be this way. After Gregory, I thought I wouldn't want to like or trust another boy again. But Denny has once again proven to me that not all boys are the same. If I was brave enough to take a leap…I'd want to do with Denny." Georgiana said softly.

"That's nice to hear you say." Lydia smiled.

"The whole experience with Gregory has made me want to trust my feelings for another, but there's a whole lot more to my fears. Laura always used to make it such a big deal that I needed to lose my virginity as soon as possible…and if you hadn't gotten to Will and Will hadn't found me in time I would have been raped…and that part of my experience with Gregory has…I don't know…made me scared of physical intimacy I guess…" Georgiana sighed.

Lydia nodded her understanding. It was something she knew all too well what her friend had explained to her. While she and Georgiana shared similarities about their ordeals, hers was different. Jamie had been years older than her, had isolated her, drugged her, raped her and then pimped her out for his friends to rape her too. Jamie had made her question everything she had ever known, had forced her to grow up and think about things before she made a choice, had made her avoid even getting close to a boy again because she was scared of going down that same path a second time. While she wasn't technically a virgin, she did think of herself as one. She had never been that intimate with anyone where she had actually wanted it. Her virginity had been taken from her, had been something disgusting rather than something she wanted to remember, and the thought of one day being intimate with someone in that way frightened her just as much as it scared Georgiana.

"I get that." Lydia mumbled.

Before anything else could be said between the two of them, Elizabeth had entered the bedroom holding a pair of skinny jeans.

"Lydi, these are yours. Maddie got our clothes mixed up again." Her sister announced.

Taking the pair of jeans from her older sister, she tossed them on to the pile of clothes on her bed and shifted uncomfortably where she sat. She noticed the arched eyebrow on her sister's concerned face and avoided meeting Elizabeth's gaze.

"Aright, what's up with you two?" Elizabeth questioned.

"Nothing." The girls said in unison.

Elizabeth coughed, sitting next to Georgiana on the edge of the bed.

"I was a teenager once. And by the looks on your faces, something is bothering you both. So, if you want to talk or need some advice, you can talk to me."

Lydia sighed heavily. She knew that her sister was right, she couldn't exactly hide her mixed feelings about tonight from Elizabeth.

"We were just talking about Jimmy and Denny…" Lydia mumbled.

"Right. And I guess you mean by 'talking', it's the fact the two of you have feelings for these boys?" Elizabeth guessed.

"Yeah. But it's more than that. I don't know if Denny would ever want to be more than friends after everything that's gone on." Georgiana said shyly.

"And more so, if we're ready for, you know…" Lydia muttered.

Elizabeth nodded.

"I can't tell you when you'll be ready for that, only you'll know yourselves. But what I will say is that one day you will feel ready and overcome whatever fears or insecurities you have about that with the right person." Her sister advised.

"But…have you ever…felt…unable…scared of it?" Georgiana asked uncertainly.

Elizabeth nodded again, which surprised Lydia. Sex wasn't something she and her sisters talked about, it was only ever spoken about rarely. It surprised her because she knew that her sister definitely had an active sex life, the amount of times she'd heard quiet and pleasurable sounds coming from her sister's bedroom during the night when Will stayed over and the odd times when Elizabeth had been with Oscar and he'd stayed the night at Longbourn. She had never before thought about her own sister having insecurities and fears about sex.

"When?" Lydia asked curiously.

"Very recently," Elizabeth replied honestly, her cheeks a little red from embarrassment but she pushed on, "After everything that happened with Wickham, there was a period that Will and I weren't so active…"

"Eurgh! That's my brother!" Georgiana said, cringing.

"My point is, that because of my ordeal I had a lot going on in my head and Will being patient with me and helping me through it, helped me overcome it. Will was very patient, understanding and supportive. And one day, you'll both meet the right person who has those qualities to help you through your own issues with it." Elizabeth explained.

"Lizzy, is it normal? To have these fears about it? For so long, Laura used to make me feel bad for not giving it up before now and that's kind of made think that there's something wrong with me." Georgiana sighed.

"There's nothing wrong with having fears about sex, whether or not you have been through an ordeal that the two of you went through. In fact, if you didn't have any questions or fears about it after being through what you both did, then I'd be having a few questions. As for the second part, Georgie, remember, you're not even seventeen yet, just because other girls have had sex at younger ages and you didn't doesn't mean that there's anything wrong with you. There is plenty of time to explore that part, when you feel ready for it. Not because someone has pressured you before you're ready." Elizabeth said reassuringly.

"It's not just that. Lizzy, should I still go on this date? What if Jimmy is evil like Jamie?" Lydia questioned.

Elizabeth reached over and squeezed Lydia's hand, giving her a slight smile.

"Lydi, from the sound of it, this boy is a bit of an idiot at times. He likes you, he seems to care about you. I think you are just scared because this is the first time you've been interested in someone since what you went through with Jamie. But only you can decide if you want to go on a date with him or not." Her sister answered.

"And you're not tempted to use the guardian card? Ground me for something?" Lydia joked.

Elizabeth laughed a little, shaking her head.

"My only rule is that he has you home by nine. You're still a kid, after all."

Lydia rolled her eyes but felt a bit better after she and Georgiana had been able to speak to Elizabeth about what was going through their minds. She watched as her sister left the bedroom, leaving Lydia and Georgiana to rifle through the pile of clothes on the bed to decide on an outfit for her date with Jimmy.

ooOoo

After being dropped off at Gunwharf Quays by Will and Georgiana, Lydia stood outside Frankie and Benny's as she waited for Jimmy. After much complaining and groaning and worrying about what to wear, she had eventually decided on raiding her sister's wardrobe and had borrowed one of Elizabeth's black evening dresses. The beauty of having two older sisters who were the same size clothing as she made her feel relieved that Elizabeth had agreed to let her borrow something to wear. The black sleeveless dress fell to her knees, it was tight fitted but it made her feel comfortable more than anything she owned to wear on a first date. She had matched it with her pair of new black ankle boots and small bag whilst Georgiana had curled her hair and helped her apply minimal make-up.

"Lydia!"

She turned around, smiling nervously as Jimmy waked up to her, wearing a short-sleeved navy shirt and a pair of black trousers. His light brown hair had been neatly cut and waxed back, his blue eyes showed how evident it was that he was nervous, along with his fingers twitching at a button on his trouser pocket.

"Hi Jimmy." She greeted with a welcoming smile.

"You look…lovely…" Jimmy breathed, his eyes travelling over her.

"Um…thanks. You look nice too."

The two walked side-by-side into the restaurant and were shown to their table by a waiter. The two ordered their drinks, a pint of cider for Jimmy and a glass of water for Lydia, while the waiter placed two unopened menus down in front of them before heading off to get them their drinks.

"Happy Birthday." Lydia said brightly, opening her bag and handing over a light blue envelope.

"Oh, you didn't have to…" Jimmy said quietly, his cheeks blushing a light pink.

Lydia smiled, she had rarely seen a boy blush before. It was quite refreshing to note that Jimmy was just as nervous as she was about this dinner. Jimmy muttered a 'thank-you' and took the card from her, tearing the seal open gently and pulled out the birthday card. She noticed how he looked at the ten-pound note that had fallen out of the card and on to the menu curiously.

"Lydia, you really didn't have to give me money." Jimmy sighed.

She frowned in confusion. The money was supposed to be a birthday gift. She hadn't known what to get him, she hadn't bought a gift for a boy before and she wasn't sure what Jimmy would like for a present. Money in a birthday card was usually the safest option when you were unsure of what to buy, it meant the recipient was free to buy something they would enjoy but would also be of their choice.

"Jimmy, it's just a birthday gift. I didn't know what to get you, so I thought you could buy something of your own with this gift." Lydia explained.

"You really didn't have to." Jimmy said quietly.

"I wanted to," Lydia smiled, meeting his gaze, "So, what have you been up to?"

Jimmy kept her gaze, looking at her like nobody else was in the room. That's what it felt like. Like he was giving her all his attention and nothing else mattered.

"Well, you know I had the day off today. I didn't really do much. My nan bought me breakfast and we spent a few hours together before she had to go to work. I went to the pub with a few mates at lunch time and then I went home to get ready for dinner with you." Jimmy replied.

"Did you have fun?" Lydia asked.

Jimmy shrugged, his expression changed to something that Lydia would have associated with disappointment.

"It's just another day isn't it?"

Lydia frowned, reaching over to take his hand and gave it a squeeze. She felt bad that he hadn't had a brilliant birthday.

"It's your eighteenth birthday. It should be something you remember for the rest of your life as you celebrate becoming an adult."

"I would have had a great time if the party was still going ahead. But my mum cancelled it." Jimmy sighed.

"Why would she do that? It's your birthday!" Lydia said in protest.

"Because she's a selfish cow. She didn't want to celebrate her only son's eighteenth birthday with the people who wanted to celebrate with me. Do you know what she's doing right now? She's sat on my sofa watching James Bond films while smoking weed with her on-off boyfriend of three years. She hasn't even wished me a happy birthday. No card. No gift. No merry thoughts. Not even a half-bothered hug."

"I'm so sorry that your mum is this way." Lydia apologised.

"It's not your fault, Lydia." Jimmy said softly.

"It isn't nice to hear that you've had a shit birthday."

"Let's not talk about my mum. Tell me something about you. How do you like Rosings? What do you study for you're A Levels?" Jimmy asked.

"I'm studying psychology, media studies and photography for A Levels. As for Rosings, it's a good school. I've made a good group of friends since I started there last year." Lydia replied.

"Oh," Jimmy said curiously, "So, you've not been there long then?"

Lydia shook her head as she thanked the waiter for placing their drinks down in front of them. The two teenagers opened their menus and began to look through the food options available to them.

"I started year eleven there. And I'm attending for the two years of sixth form before I head off for university." Lydia replied.

"So, where did you attend prior to coming to Rosings Park?"

"I went to a public school."

"Interesting. So, you aren't a 'rich girl' as I first assumed you were?" Jimmy teased.

Lydia looked over her menu and smiled at him. Now that she had accepted the fact that she liked Jimmy, he didn't irritate her as much as he did when they first met.

"No." she confirmed.

The two looked at their menus and placed their order, a spaghetti carbonara for Lydia and a barbecue chicken grill for Jimmy, and the two talked further. Jimmy showed a lot of interest, wanting to know about her life prior to living in Portsmouth. Of course, she didn't feel comfortable telling him her entire life story over one dinner; especially everything horrific that she had been through. She wasn't ready. But she did confide in him about her father dying, how her family ran a business, that she had two sisters, how her uncle had pulled some strings to explain why she attended Rosings. In turn, Jimmy told her a little more about himself. How he liked football and rugby, what bands he liked to listen to, how he liked to cycle round Portsmouth in his free time. How he wanted to study forensics at university and gain a career within that field.

Their conversation lasted well into the night, their dinners filling their stomachs until they couldn't eat another bite. They split the bill in half, after a little debate over who should pay, and left the restaurant.

"Thank you for coming out to dinner with me, it's been the highlight of my birthday." Jimmy said brightly.

"I'm glad you had a good time. I did too." Lydia smiled.

"Would you…like to do it again…sometime maybe…"

Lydia met his gaze as they walked through the practically empty shopping complex, noting how the staff in the now closed shops were finishing up for the evening. It was starting to get darker and darker as the time passed, drawing an end to the day and start of a chilled night. The two teenagers walked in the direction of a queue of taxis. As she pondered over his request to have dinner again together, she noticed how he had taken hold of her hand and held it tightly. She smiled up at him, giving his hand a squeeze until they stood outside the first available taxi.

"You still haven't answered my question." Jimmy breathed, tucking a loose curl behind her ear as he stood in front of her.

"I had a really nice time and I would love to do it again." Lydia whispered.

Jimmy gave her a small smile, leaning his head forwards and down kissed her on the cheek lightly. Her heart hammered in her chest, her stomach was starting to flutter like mad. His head remained so close to hers as she pressed her lips to his and kissed him lightly before pulling away.

"Thanks…" Jimmy mumbled with a grin.

"Happy Birthday Jimmy." Lydia said quietly.

Deciding that he was walking home, Lydia climbed into the taxi and headed home.

ooOoo

The house was pitch black. Everyone in the house slept soundly aside from Elizabeth and Will. The only light in Elizabeth's bedroom came from the alarm clock which indicated the time at two in the morning. She heard her boyfriend tossing and turning in the bed bedside her until he sat up and turned on the bedside lamp on the side table.

"You're worried, aren't you?" Will said softly.

Elizabeth nodded, sitting up next to her boyfriend. The whole evening she hadn't been able to take her mind off her unexpected visit from DC Parsons. It had been months since she had seen the police officer who had been assigned to the murder case of her ex-boyfriend. And it was pretty evident as to why the police officer had been in touch with her.

"Of course, I am. Wouldn't you be?" Elizabeth sighed heavily.

"I would. But try and stay positive, Lizzy. The assessment has been done. He's going on trial in a few weeks."

"And I have to sit in that court and give evidence against Wickham. I have to relive it all over again."

She rested her head on her boyfriend's shoulder as Will wrapped a protective arm around her. It was what she had been dreading for months. The day when she would finally be told when George Wickham was going on trial for murder, attempted murder and kidnapping. It was frustrating, because all DC Parsons could tell her was that the mental health assessment had taken place on George Wickham and she wasn't allowed to discuss the results as it was to be used as evidence in court. The police officer couldn't reassure her if it would ensure Wickham was found not guilty or sentenced to spend the rest of his life in a mental health institution rather than be imprisoned for his crimes.

"I know it's going to be hard, Lizzy," Will said softly, kissing her on the top of the head, "But, think positive. He's no longer trying to make the wait for trial longer, the assessment has been completed and he will be faced with a judge. You also don't have to give evidence in front of him, you have the option of a video link in a different room or have a screen placed in front of you to block Wickham out."

"I'm going to speak with Dr. Richardson next week about it, see what she can advise for me."

"Good idea. And remember, you're not alone in any of this."

Elizabeth nodded her head slowly, content to just sit with her boyfriend in silence in her dimly-lit bedroom. She knew that Will was right; it would all soon be over and she could put Wickham in the past where he belonged the moment he was delivered his punishment.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N:** Thank you all for your continued support as I write this sequel. I'm hoping to have this story finished up within (estimated) five chapters, so I can tie up loose ends before I start posting my next work-in-progress. I'm hoping to start writing Chapter Fourteen during this week but it won't be ready to post until around mid August because I'm going on holiday next week :)

Enjoy!

 **Chapter Thirteen**

"All rise."

The entire courtroom stood to their feet as the judge and jury entered the courtroom after taking a break to decide the verdict. When the judge and jury were seated, everyone else sat back down in their seats, waiting with nerves as to whether his childhood rival would be sent to prison or not. The whole trial week had been a living nightmare. Will had taken the whole week off, refusing to see his business partners in London so he could support Elizabeth during the difficult week. George Wickham was the first to be questioned in the courtroom, feigning his innocence and ignorance to Oscar Pierce's murder and placed the blamed at his father's feet regarding the other two crimes he stood accused of. Will had to listen to his rival accuse Sarah Younge of setting it all up as a revenge plot, that Sarah had been the one to set him up for the crimes that were committed.

After Wickham had given his testimony on the first day, the prosecution lawyer had called Shane Wickham to the stand to give his account of the crimes he and his son had committed together on the second day of the trial. On the third day, a forensic expert gave professional evidence to the court along with the psychologist who had carried out the mental health assessment on George Wickham which concluded that he was not suffering from any mental health conditions or disorders.

By the Thursday, the fourth day into the trial, it was Elizabeth and Sarah's turn to take to the stand. In the entire thirteen months that he had known Elizabeth, he had never seen her look so frightened of reliving her ordeal. He'd tried his best to reassure her, he stayed with her in the separate room that she was due to give evidence in via video-link before he'd gone to sit back to watch the trial continue. First up had been Sarah, hidden behind a screen, and he felt sick. Listening his ex-wife relive her own horrific ordeal from the night she had been kidnapped by the Wickhams leading up to the day that she and Elizabeth had tried to escape, and she had been shot. It was evident from Sarah's testimony that Wickham and his father had been planning to kill Sarah like they had Oscar.

Then it was Elizabeth's turn and Will had been on the edge of his seat. His knuckles were pure white from where he gripped the edge of it so hard. He kept his mouth shut, his teeth gritted together as he heard his girlfriend's voice fill the courtroom. Fear was present in her voice, how could it not be, but Will felt a surge of pride at Elizabeth's bravery as she told the court just exactly what Wickham had done to her and Sarah in that basement. What he had threatened her with. How much horror he had put her through during the hours she was held captive and the months after. And it was during Elizabeth's testimony that Wickham decided to look around in his direction and smirk.

 _"If you feel yourself getting angry at any point during the trial week, I want you to take a deep breath and slowly exhale and then inhale until you feel calm." Dr. Richardson instructed._

 _"And what if that doesn't work?" Will asked._

 _"You could always leave the courtroom until you feel calm to reenter."_

Seeing Wickham smirk made him tempted to jump over the railing and beat the smug bastard to within an inch of his life. But he kept his breathing in check, filling his mind with thoughts of Elizabeth. And now, he watched as Wickham was instructed to stand and the head of the jury stood as well, clearing their throat. He felt his heart hammering in his chest as the jury delivered the verdict and the judge banged his gavel down as the sentence was delivered.

It was all over.

Will watched as Wickham shouted in protest as the police officers placed handcuffs around his wrists and led him away as the court was dismissed. Hurrying through the crowd of exiting people, he headed straight to the room where Elizabeth was waiting.

ooOoo

It was all over.

Months of trying to come to terms with her ordeal and still having Wickham trying to fight going to trial, was now at an end. She could move on. But she couldn't sit still. The news still hadn't sunk in.

"Lizzy?"

She turned to face her boyfriend and smiled weakly as he approached her, running his hands comfortingly up her arms.

"I'm alright, Will." She muttered.

"Do you want to go home?" Will asked softly.

"Yes. Let's put this behind us now." Elizabeth replied.

The couple said their goodbyes to the police officers and the lawyers who had dealt with them during the trial and made to exit the court. Elizabeth smiled up at her boyfriend as he placed his arm around her shoulder and held her close to him as they made their way through the corridors. During this whole process, the whole trial week, Will had been there to make sure she was supported. He'd spent the entire week in Portsmouth when he was due to be in London Monday through Wednesday just so she had his support. He'd stayed with her for as long as possible before she was due to give evidence, he stayed awake with her throughout the nights when she couldn't take her mind off the trial and even accompanied her to her therapy appointments with Dr. Richardson.

As they reached the lobby, they stopped in their tracks.

"Elizabeth!"

Turning around, she saw Sarah Younge approaching them looking slightly pleased.

"Hello Sarah." Elizabeth greeted.

"I was wondering if we could get a cup of tea or something? Just ten minutes?" Sarah asked nervously.

Elizabeth looked up at Will who kissed her forehead and released his grasp on her shoulder.

"I won't be long, we'll pop to the café over the road." She said quietly.

"I'll wait here for you, there's someone I need to speak to as well." Will replied.

Kissing her boyfriend's cheek, she and Sarah left the court and headed over the road to a little café.

ooOoo

As he watched his girlfriend cross the road with his ex-wife, Will walked down the steps of the court and sat down on the bottom one next to the woman who had birthed a murderer. He had never seen Harriet Wickham look so broken. The woman had known his father for years, had been a very close friend. He'd seen the woman raise George by herself, give birth to Dennis and raise two boys by herself, he'd seen her work her hardest to provide for her sons, had not once seen her admit how much it hurt that her husband was a complete waste of space due to being in and out of prison; unable to turn his back on a life of crime. He had watched this woman try her hardest to keep her boys away from crime, to steer them down a good path and achieve their potential. And now, Will saw her weep and he felt for her.

"Harriet?" Will asked softly.

The woman raised her head, her eyes puffy and red. She sniffed and looked away from him, as if unable to face the shame that her son had caused.

"I can't change what has happened, Fitzwilliam, I really can't. I wish I could. But you should know how sorry I am for everything that George has done to you and Elizabeth. If I had known-"

"It isn't your fault, Harriet." Will stated reassuringly.

Harriet sniffed, still not looking at him, instead staring out at the busy cars whizzing past them on the road in front of the courthouse.

"Ever since he was arrested I've been trying to pinpoint where I went wrong in raising him. I tried…so hard…to make sure he didn't end up like Shane…hell, I was appalled when he turned against you the first time…I can't pinpoint when it all went wrong…he wasn't always like this…so twisted and evil…so jealous and possessive…so…" Harriet trailed off, as if unsure of what other words she could use to describe her eldest son.

"I wish I could tell you. He wasn't always like this. I still remember a time when I considered him one of my very best friends. I wish I could offer you some comfort but I'm not sure of what to say. Maybe he always was but he was good at hiding his true self. His true self certainly became apparent the moment he found out my father was funding his private education. I guess, over time, the jealousy just grew." Will sighed in speculation.

"It's a lot more than jealousy, Fitzwilliam. I'm not sure we'll ever understand it."

Will took hold of the woman's hand and gave it a squeeze. As much as he loathed George Wickham, it wasn't his mother's fault. Harriet was a good woman and not all her children were bad.

"Harriet, I can understand why you are upset. I imagine as a parent, that it isn't easy seeing your child imprisoned for life because of horrific crimes he committed-"

"I'm not crying because George was sentenced to life imprisonment," Harriet laughed coldly, wiping her eyes, "I don't know why I'm crying. My son committed these disgusting crimes, he took away someone's son, he nearly killed an innocent woman and kidnapped two to hold at his own sick leisure. He deserves to be thrown into a cell and the key thrown away."

"Maybe it's because deep down, he is still your son and the realisation that you tried to believe the good in him would come out, didn't live up to your expectations and wishes. It's natural for a parent to want their child to be good, to not go down the path of their father." Will said reassuringly.

"You'd make a good psychologist, Fitzwilliam," Harriet sighed, blowing her nose into the tissue she held, "But you don't have to give me any comfort. Not after everything George has done!"

"It isn't down to your parenting. I watched you over the years George and I grew up together. I saw how hard you tried. But sometimes, it's just inevitable that a child follows in the path of their father. But remember, not all your children will turn out like Shane." Will reminded her.

Harriet sniffed again, wiping the tears away that started to leak down her cheeks. He needed her to know that he wasn't angry with her for what George had done. That he didn't place any blame at her feet for how her son turned out. That it was just how George was as a person and not a reflection of her or what she could have done differently.

"Denny is a good boy." She agreed quietly.

"He is. He is completely different to George. I may not see Dennis very often, but Georgiana is always talking about him rather fondly. And I want you to know that my father's last will and testament will be honoured; Denny's school fees will be paid for until the age of eighteen, I've made sure of that." Will stated.

Harriet looked up at him, squeezing his hand in gratitude.

"You didn't have to do that. Not after-"

"I don't hold any blame against you or Denny for what has happened. It's all over now. George and Shane have been punished for their crimes. It might not seem like it now but yours and Denny's future is bright, we all just need to move on with our lives."

"It's going to take a while." Harriet sighed.

"If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask me." Will offered softly.

"Thank you, Fitzwilliam."

Squeezing Harriet's hand one final time, the two of the stood to their feet and parted ways.

ooOoo

Elizabeth sat at a tiny squared table in the little café directly opposite the courthouse. Sarah had ordered them both a cup of tea which the waitress had brought over to them. The two women took a mouthful, holding their cups awkwardly until Elizabeth cleared her throat and decided to speak.

"So…how have you been?" she asked politely.

"Honestly? It's been a rough time the past few months. How about you?"

"Same. I was signed off work, assigned to a therapist. I found it difficult to get out of the house. It's only been the last few weeks that I've been able to pursue some things from my life before Wickham kidnapped me."

"I assume that you and Fitzwilliam managed to get past your earlier difficulties?" Sarah asked curiously.

Elizabeth nodded, smiling to herself. It had taken a long time, but now it felt that she and Will were definitely in a good place. Now that Wickham was behind bars, she was free to go about her life and carry on her relationship with Will and look forward to a bright future.

"He's been my constant support and rock through this entire ordeal. He's been there for me, one hundred percent committed to getting me through this." She replied happily.

The look on Sarah's face was a stiff one, but also displayed her little happiness that the two of them managed to get through a tough situation.

"Did you have anyone to help you through?" Elizabeth asked quietly.

"I do. His name is Ralphie." Sarah muttered, blushing slightly.

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. Finally, it seemed that Sarah was able to move on with her life instead of focusing on the mistakes she had made against Will. Elizabeth felt glad for her. She couldn't imagine how much regret Sarah had held for what Wickham had made her do to Will six years ago, but it seemed that Sarah had taken her ex-husband's advice and moved on.

"That's good," Elizabeth said encouragingly, "I hope that you are happy. And I guess I should say thank you, for sticking with me in that basement."

Sarah looked surprised at her thanks, taking another mouthful of her tea.

"You don't have to say anything. But, please, allow me to say thanks, for thinking so quickly when I was shot. If you had hesitated, I wouldn't be sat here right now." Sarah said gratefully.

"How do you feel? Knowing he's going to prison for the rest of his life?" Elizabeth asked.

Sarah shrugged.

"It hasn't sunk in yet. I guess I'm glad that justice was served, but I suppose it's going to take a while to put this behind me." The raven-haired woman replied.

"I guess so." Elizabeth agreed quietly.

"I don't know if I'll ever come across you again after today…but I hope you and Fitzwilliam have a happy life together. We can all move forward with our lives now."

Elizabeth smiled slightly as she drained the rest of her tea in two large mouthfuls and placed the empty mug down on the table in front of her. Standing up from her seat, she wished Sarah the best for the future and left the café to go and meet Will outside the courthouse.

"What did Sarah want?" Will asked curiously, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"It was brief. Just asked how I was, how we were and thanked me for thinking quickly when she was shot." Elizabeth replied.

Will nodded and kissed the top of her forehead.

"How are you feeling?" her boyfriend whispered.

Thinking back to what Sarah had said, she agreed with what the other woman had said about the end of their nightmare. It was going to take a while to process that George Wickham was going to spend the rest of his life in prison and it was going to take her a while to figure out just how she felt about it.

"A lot of things probably, considering the circumstances. Right now, I just want to go home and move on to the rest of my life."

"Can I just say…" Will said softly, "I am so proud of you."

Elizabeth frowned, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Why?"

"For how brave you were this week. For how brave you are. I hope you know how strong you are coming through all this."

Elizabeth kissed him briefly before pulling away and quietly thanking him for the support he had given to her this week. Giving the courthouse one last glance, the couple held hands and left.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

September came and went with what seemed like a blink of an eye to Lydia. She was settling into her first year of A Level study at Rosings quite well and was now used to her new timetable which meant she was able to work at Boswell's around her classes and coursework she had to do in her spare time. Over the first month she had started to feel that maybe, things were looking up for her and her family. Jane was starting to sound a lot happier thanks to her therapist in Bury St. Edmunds and Longbourn's expansion and remodeling had started which kept Jane busy and focused. Elizabeth was back at work on a part-time basis, finishing her work day at lunchtime whilst Will had started looking for an office building to set up the new Portsmouth Headquarters for TPA and had promoted Richard to run things in the London offices on a permanent basis. And while Elizabeth was slowly adjusting back to her life prior to her kidnapping, Lydia knew that she was still finding it hard to be the person she used to be. But, it was nice to see that Elizabeth had a lot of support around her when she did have a bad day.

It was a cloudy Friday afternoon. Lydia and Denny had just finished their classes for the day and had gone back to Ed and Maddie's to catch up on coursework. The two were sat at the dining table with their notepads and textbooks, two half-full glasses of water sat in the centre of the table along with a bowl of crisps that Maddie had poured for them before she had taken the dog for a walk. Every now and then Lydia would catch Denny looking at his phone when it vibrated against the dining table, only to notice the disappointed looks on her best friend's face when it wasn't what Denny was hoping the notification to be.

"Alright. Do you want to tell me why you're looking so glum?" Lydia quizzed.

"No reason." Denny lied, turning his attention back to the notes he had forgotten about.

Lydia cleared her throat, causing her friend to exhale heavily and throw his pen on to his notepad and meet her curious and concerned stare.

"I take it no reason is a certain curly-haired blonde girl who happens to be our best friend?" she guessed.

"There's hiding nothing from you, is there?" Denny mused, leaning back in his chair and folding his arms.

"Not when you're bloody obvious about your feelings for Georgie."

"I'm not bloody obvious!"

"Really!" Lydia snorted with amusement, mirroring Denny's actions by leaning back in her own chair and folding her arms, "Then why are you so quick to pick up your phone whenever you get a notification? You're hoping that it's Georgiana and you look so disappointed when it isn't. You can try and play dumb to avoid us having this conversation all you like, Denny, but I know how you feel about her."

Denny nodded stiffly.

"Alright. Fine. I text her asking if she wanted to do something later and she hasn't replied."

Lydia smiled warmly.

"Give her time. Remember that her timetable is different from ours. She's in a class back at school right now where she isn't allowed her phone."

"Okay. Good point," Denny agreed, "But, what if she thinks that I mean just as friends?"

"Well… did you state otherwise?" Lydia asked.

"No…" Denny muttered.

"Well there you go. You need to clarify what you meant. If you want the time you spend with Georgie to be a date, then you need to tell her." Lydia encouraged gently.

"Yeah you're right," Denny agreed, "But would Georgie even want to go on a date with me after everything that's happened? With everything that's gone on between my brother and hers-"

Lydia listened to her friend's doubts about asking Georgiana to take their relationship to the next level and groaned inwardly. If only she could tell Denny what she and Georgiana had talked about weeks ago. But the conversation she had with Georgiana were on a delicate matter and she wasn't about to betray her friend's confidence. Instead, she decided to give Denny some advice.

"Denny, if you keep dwelling on the past then you'll never move forward with Georgie." Lydia pointed out gently.

Her friend exhaled heavily, as if with exhaustion, and rested his head on his fist supported by his elbow on the table.

"How would you go about it? If it were you and Jimmy?" Denny asked curiously.

Lydia hesitated. It had been four weeks since her date with Jimmy and they both had continued to go on dates throughout the four-week course, but they had yet to have the boyfriend/girlfriend discussion. She liked Jimmy, really liked him. But the thought of being in a proper relationship made her nervous. She was still trying to come to terms with what she had been through with Jamie.

"I don't really know. Maybe you should just try and talk to her and stop putting off the conversation?" she suggested.

Denny nodded, looking at her observantly.

"You're nervous about having that conversation with Jimmy, aren't you?" he asked.

"Could not be more terrified." Lydia replied with a sigh.

Denny smiled at her sympathetically and reached for her hand across the table, giving it a supportive squeeze.

"How about we make a deal? We'll both be brave. I'll talk to Georgiana and you'll talk to Jimmy about your fears. You never know, he could surprise you and be very understanding."

"It's not just wanting him to understand what I went through with Jamie. What Jamie did to me…what those other men did to me…it put me at rock bottom. It's taken me this long to finally be in a place where I feel okay enough to date but it's going to take me a while to put it behind me completely."

"I know, Lyds. But you're a strong person and there will come a day when you'll back on it and know that he doesn't affect you anymore."

"Thanks Denny," Lydia smiled, "I'm glad you're one of my best friends."

"Ditto." Denny smiled in return.

There was a moment of silence before the two friends returned their attention back to their coursework.

ooOoo

After finishing her coursework, Denny had left to head round to the Darcy's to see if Georgiana had finished her classes for the day. Lydia had changed out of her school uniform and headed downstairs to hear a knock on the front door. Smiling to herself, she opened it and welcomed Jimmy inside the house.

"I've brought a selection of DVDs I thought you might want to watch, I wasn't too sure what you'd be in the mood for." Jimmy said, handing over the bag of DVDs.

Closing the door behind him, she led him through to the living room and felt Jimmy grasp her wrist gently, pulling her backwards and turning her to face him. She felt her breathing become faster, her heart beating at a rapid pace in her chest as Jimmy's forehead pressed against her own gently. Their lips met, the kiss a sweet and tender one as their lips moved together before pulling apart.

"I missed you." Jimmy whispered with a smile.

"It's only been a day." Lydia breathed, meeting his gaze.

"I know… I just want to spend time with you."

Lydia stepped away and moved over to the TV stand to put a DVD into the player for the two of them to watch. As she stood up with the remote and switched on the TV, she turned around to see the disappointed look on Jimmy's face.

"What's wrong?" she questioned.

"I just thought we could watch it in your bedroom. We'd have some more privacy." Jimmy answered.

Lydia nodded stiffly, biting her lip as she felt a surge of annoyance run through her. She suddenly felt a lot of pressure on her to be alone with him, just like the times when she had felt pressured into doing things when Jamie had been in control of her.

"Why can't we watch a film down here?"

Jimmy shrugged, "I guess we can. But your bedroom offers more privacy, so we can enjoy it together instead of having the dog bug us for a walk or attention and it means that your aunt, uncle and sister can have some space as well." He explained.

"Is that the only reason you want us to be alone in my bedroom?" Lydia asked nervously.

"Well it also means I can kiss you as much as I like without giving your relatives too much of a show." Jimmy replied.

"Is that all you want to do?"

Jimmy frowned, walking over to her and gently placing his arms around her waist.

"What are you so worried about? I'm not expecting you to sleep with me. I just want to spend some alone time with you."

"I guess I'm just nervous." Lydia muttered shyly.

"Lydia, I'm crazy about you. I'm not going to lie, I have thought about sex with you, but it doesn't have to happen yet. I mean, we've only been going out for four weeks and I get that it's a big deal for girls when they get a new boyfriend." Jimmy assured her.

Lydia smiled. He'd just called himself her boyfriend.

"What?" Jimmy asked with a laugh.

"Boyfriend huh?"

"If you want me to be."

She nodded her head, leaning up to kiss him again.

"Can I just ask…why are you nervous about taking that step with me? Have you ever done it before?" Jimmy asked delicately.

Lydia bit her lip. There was that question. Technically, she wasn't a virgin. But she hadn't had sex where she had consented to it.

"I have a complicated past." Lydia replied quietly, stepping away from him.

"Bad experience?"

"You could say that."

"You can talk to me about it if you like. It might help to talk about it." Jimmy offered.

She looked at him, feeling very confused and worried that if she did tell him about her past with Jamie then he might run and want nothing more to do with her. She liked him. Really liked him. But she wasn't sure if Jimmy would be able to accept what she had been through. But then she remembered her deal with Denny about being brave and talking to Jimmy about her fears.

"Alright. I'll tell you, but you might want to take a seat. And please be patient and understanding." Lydia conceded.

Jimmy nodded and promised her he would listen and sat on the sofa. Taking a seat next to him, she began to tell him all about her past with Jamie and how it had all began.

ooOoo

Taking a deep breath, Denny raised his fist and knocked on the door of the Darcy house three sharp times. His heart was pounding. His thumbs were twitching. But he made the deal with Lydia. He was going to talk to Georgiana. After nearly three years since they had first tried to give a relationship a go, he was finally going to put the past behind him and ask her to be his girlfriend.

The front door opened, and he took a deep breath, seeing the beautiful young blonde standing in front of him. She still wore her school uniform, her curly hair falling past her shoulders and her brown eyes looking at him warmly.

"Denny! Hey. Sorry I didn't reply to your text messages, class ran over and then I had to see Mr. Bingley once it finished. Is everything alright?" Georgiana asked.

He didn't know why he didn't speak. Maybe it was because he was nervous. Maybe it was because he could feel adrenaline rush through his body as his feelings for the girl in front of him started to consume him. Denny stepped towards Georgiana, cupping her face in his hands and pressed his lips to hers. He heard her squeak in surprise and stiffen slightly but after a moment, she relaxed against him and returned the kiss.

When he pulled away, he looked down at her, seeing her smile up at him as she cupped his face with her hands.

"Well that was a nice surprise." Georgiana laughed.

Denny smiled, stroking her cheeks lightly with his thumbs.

"Georgiana Darcy, will you be my girlfriend?" he asked.

He felt a burst of happiness when she nodded her head enthusiastically.

"Do you want to go and do something?" Georgiana asked.

"First date something?" Denny teased.

Georgiana nodded.

"Yes, a first date something." She laughed.

"It sounds amazing. Shall we head out?"

"Yeah, just let me get my shoes."

Once Georgiana had pulled on her shoes and grabbed her jacket which contained her phone and keys, she closed the door behind her and the two teenagers walked hand-in-hand away from the house; talking about what they would do for their first date.

ooOoo

"Say something." Lydia said quietly.

She had decided to tell Jimmy about her ordeal with Jamie. The two had been sat in the living room but Maddie had walked through the front door after she had gone to the supermarket to do a food shop. Not wanting to put off the conversation, the two of them had headed to Lydia's bedroom so they could talk in private.

"I don't know what to say." Jimmy muttered.

"Look, if it's too much for you to handle then there's no hard feelings. If you want to walk away now, then I'll understand." Lydia stated.

Jimmy turned to face her, frowning hard at what she had just said. Lydia bit her lip, her heart pounding with nerves as she felt her hands starting to shake with anticipation. Would Jimmy decide that her past would be too much to handle? Would he decide that he couldn't deal with the patience as she overcame her fears about intimacy and relationships? Would he ask for some time to think about it? Would he think that it was all her fault like she had once thought?

"Do you really think that little of me?" Jimmy questioned, stunned at her statement.

"That's not what I meant, Jimmy. I just meant that-"

"You thought I'd call you a slut or something? That I'd say it's your own fault you got involved with someone like that? You thought that I'd tell you that you had too much of a dramatic past that I didn't want anything more to do with you? Thanks!" Jimmy scoffed angrily.

"Jimmy, I didn't know how you would handle it when I told you what I went through. What Jamie did…it's made me fearful of being vulnerable with someone. It's made me wonder if I could ever trust someone in that way again. Jamie broke me. I nearly committed suicide after what he put through. Can't you understand this from my point of view instead of thinking that I think all this bad stuff about you?" Lydia asked, on the verge of tears.

"I can't understand completely what you went through, Lydia. It didn't happen to me so how could I possible completely understand what's going through your head? Ever since you agreed to go out with me, I've been trying to think more before I say stuff because I don't want to say the wrong thing. I don't know what to say about this." Jimmy stated.

Lydia stood up from her bed, pacing her bedroom as she blinked back the tears. She didn't want to cry in front of him. She didn't want Jimmy to see that she was blaming herself for ruining their four-week relationship.

"Just go, Jimmy." She said quietly, her voice breaking slightly.

She heard him stand up from her bed.

"Is that what you want? Or is it a tactic to push me away? Because if it's the latter, then you're stupid!" Jimmy accused.

Turning around, she felt a surge of anger run through her.

"Did you really just call me stupid?" Lydia demanded.

"Yeah. I did. Pushing people away is stupid. Isn't it what you did to your sisters because you felt guilty that your dad died?" Jimmy asked, his voice raised slightly.

"Oh look who's pretending to know about psychology now!"

"I'm not leaving!"

"I'll shout for Maddie. She'll make you go!" Lydia hissed.

"I'm not leaving. We're talking this out. You can try and push me away all you like but I'm going to come back." Jimmy yelled.

"Why would you? What normal person would want me?!" Lydia cried.

"In case you haven't noticed I'm not always a normal person. We've all got our shit Lydia! But I like you enough to work it out with you!" Jimmy said.

She felt her breathing hitch as Jimmy crossed the room to close the gap between them. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her to him, holding her close as she cried into his chest. Hearing him say that he liked her enough to work it out with her had opened the floodgate. It was like a weight had been lifted now that he knew all about her past. Everything seemed like it was going to be fine. Maybe Elizabeth was right. Maybe, Jimmy would be the one to help her through these fears.

Lydia felt him kiss the top of her head and the two stood in silence, holding each other tightly as a new understanding formed between them; an understanding that Jimmy wasn't going anywhere.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N:** Thank you all for your continued support as we edge closer to the finish of this story. I know it's been about a month since the last update, I can only apologise and explain that September didn't allow me much freedom to write as my partner was severely ill and took a few weeks to recover. I hope to have this story finished for the start of November where I will take some time off to write a short piece I want to post over December.

Enjoy!

 **Chapter Fifteen**

Sitting at the only spare table in the café, Elizabeth thanked Lydia as her little sister handed over a hot cup of tea. Lydia took a seat next to her and the two sisters sipped on the tea, sitting in silence as they waited for the last person they expected to hear from.

Elizabeth still believed herself to be stupid to agreeing to come today. After all, she had said all she had needed to say a while ago. But, when Jane had informed the two of them that she was too busy at Longbourn with the expansion to come down for a weekend, Elizabeth had reluctantly agreed to accompany Lydia to this meeting; not wanting her little sister to go through this meeting alone.

"You nervous?" Lydia asked quietly.

She shrugged her shoulders as her hands cupped the hot drink. The truth was, she didn't feel nervous at all. In fact, she felt eager to get this meeting over and done with. After all, she had already said all that she had wanted to say a while ago. But when Jane had been asked to come down for the weekend and her older sister's decline and reason that the expansion of Longbourn was keeping her busy, Elizabeth hadn't wanted Lydia to go to the meeting by herself. So, here she was, sat in a little café in Southsea as she and her little sister took it in turns to stare intently at the door.

"Just wish that she would hurry up. She did request us to meet her here at four-thirty." Elizabeth grumbled.

Lydia rolled up her coat sleeve and looked at her watch.

"She's only ten minutes late." Her sister replied.

"Ten minutes I won't get back."

"Lighten up Lizzy. You promised to have an open mind." Lydia reminded her.

"I'm sorry Lydi," Elizabeth sighed, "I just don't know why we even agreed to this. What more could she possibly say? She's already made it quite clear that she didn't want to be a mother."

Lydia pulled a face before taking another sip of her tea, something which didn't go unnoticed by the older Bennet.

"What's the face for?" Elizabeth asked.

Lydia placed her tea back down on the table and turned to face her.

"It's just that…when she turned up to see me at work that time…she seemed desperate. Said she had been thinking some things through. I'd like to hear what she has to say." Her sister said softly.

"You can't be serious? She told you just shy of a year ago that she never wanted to be our mother. And now you think she's changed her mind?" Elizabeth demanded.

"I don't know Lizzy. I just want to hear what she has to say. Maybe she is genuinely starting to regret not being there and not attempting to come back. Maybe she realised that she was wrong. I know she can't exactly start being a mother but maybe she wants to attempt to build a bridge and check in on us every now and then." Lydia guessed.

Elizabeth reached across the table and squeezed her sister's hand, exhaling heavily as she did so. She could understand why Lydia would be more open minded than her about meeting with Francine. Lydia didn't remember their mother, she had only been a year old when Francine had upped and left. A year old was hardly any time for Francine to have any significant bond or involvement with a child. But Elizabeth had been ten when her mother had left them. A time in her life where she had her own thoughts and feelings, a time where she could have used a devoted mother to guide her through her teenage years. But she never got to have that. Instead, her father had stepped up to the motherly role as best he could. And Thomas Bennet had done his absolute hardest and best effort when it came to raising his three daughters.

Before any more could be said on the subject, the door to the café opened again; letting in the October chill into the building before it was closed again. Both Lydia and Elizabeth looked in the direction of the entrance and saw their mother stood in the doorway, looking utterly nervous. For a moment, Francine stood there, completely still until Lydia made a small beckoning gesture with her hand which the older woman took as a welcome invitation. Francine sat in the chair opposite the two sisters and smiled at them weakly.

"You both look well." Francine commented.

"We're not here for small talk. We're here to listen to what it is you have to say." Elizabeth said quietly.

"We both just what to know why you wanted to meet us here. You made it perfectly clear that you never wanted to be our mother." Lydia added.

Fran nodded and coughed slightly to clear her throat.

"First, I appreciate that you both agreed to take the time to meet with me, I thought you both wouldn't have agreed. For a while now, I've been doing some thinking." The older woman started.

"About what?" Elizabeth asked.

"Everything. I'm a selfish person-"

"Save the self-pity." Elizabeth tutted.

"You may call it self-pity, Elizabeth, but it's the truth. I am selfish. I focused more on my own desires for my life instead of just getting out of a situation I didn't want to be in a long time ago." Fran replied.

"Like your wedding day to our father? Is that what you mean?" Lydia questioned darkly.

To their surprise, Fran shrugged her shoulders instead of agreeing.

"My marriage to your father wasn't perfect. I loved Thomas, don't think that I didn't. But we both wanted and desired different things." The older woman stated.

"You've already said that. Is this meeting just going to be you repeating yourself?" Elizabeth asked impatiently.

"I'm not getting what I mean across very clearly…" Fran sighed, "Ever since you came to me, Elizabeth, all those months ago and said everything you wanted to say to me and then left, it made me reflect on some things. I'm a selfish person. I thought about everything you girls went through when your father died. Everything that happened with you, Lydia, the reasons why you moved to Portsmouth for a fresh start, and then I heard about what happened to you, Elizabeth, when the news covered the story six months ago. Since then…I've been reflecting…thinking…"

"Thinking about what, exactly?" Lydia asked.

"About how I should have been there. I should have been in the country rather than travelling with my husband when he works abroad. I should have been there at Thomas' funeral, to help you all through your grief, to prevent those bad things happening to you all!" Fran replied sadly.

Elizabeth bit her lip as she processed Fran's declaration. She hadn't been expecting her absent mother to recognise her obligation as a parent. She hadn't been expecting to hear Francine admit a regret -almost- at not being there for the three of them.

"Okay," Elizabeth breathed, "You regret not being there for us, is that what you're saying?"

Fran nodded her head.

"That. And I'm saying that I'm sorry for not being there. I want to change and be better. And I'm hoping that maybe, we can start afresh?" their mother asked.

Start afresh? Was she actually being serious? Fifteen years and now she was asking for a fresh start? Elizabeth let out a huff of disbelief and turned to face Lydia.

"What you're asking…we can't just make a decision straight away…we need some time to think it over." Lydia said softly.

Fran nodded, standing up from the table and tucking her chair underneath it.

"You have my contact details when you've made a decision. I just want you both to know that if you decide not to give me a chance, then it's okay. I won't hold a grudge, I know I'm asking for a lot. But, I hope you do decide to give me a chance, because I want to get to know you. All three of you." The older woman smiled sadly.

With that, the two sisters watched as Francine left the café; leaving them to contemplate whether they were going to let their mother back into their lives.

ooOoo

"So, what did you and Lydia talk about after she left?" Will asked.

He watched as his girlfriend hoisted herself up on to the kitchen counter, taking a bite out of the slice of toast she had just made for herself.

"We haven't really talked much about it. We finished our drinks and headed home and told Ed and Maddie about the conversation with Fran before we called Jane and told her the same thing. We're going to think it over and talk to Jane again in a few days. We can't make this decision straight away." Elizabeth replied.

Will nodded, pouring a handful of spaghetti into the pan and filling it with water to start boiling it for dinner. Elizabeth and Lydia had decided to have dinner with him and Georgiana tonight, with the two teenagers upstairs in Georgiana's bedroom, swapping stories of their new boyfriends. Well, it's what Will assumed two sixteen-year-olds did.

Will switched on the hob to boil the spaghetti and walked over to his girlfriend, running his hands up her thighs as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She seemed a lot happier now that she could talk through her meeting with her mother, earlier she had seemed wound up.

"So, do you want to keep talking about it now?" he asked.

Elizabeth shook her head, her green eyes sparkling as she leaned forwards. Will grinned and captured her lips with his in a fiery kiss.

"Mmm…are…you…spending the…night?" Will asked in between heated kisses.

"Didn't bring my stuff." Elizabeth groaned, running her fingers through his hair.

Will pulled away from her lips, moving his across her cheek, down her jaw and on to the sensitive spot on her neck. The past few weeks had kept them all busy. Elizabeth was adjusting back to work and still having regular meetings with Dr. Richardson at the hospital, who was perfectly happy with the progress that his girlfriend was making. Will had also found himself being kept from having much free time. The company had officially found an office building where Will had founded the Portsmouth HQ of TPA, with several meetings taking place to put some businesses into the empty shop units in the city centre to improve economy and give the citizens somewhere to go for good nightlife. He had also started to have discussions with local homeless charities to give the homeless people he often saw sleeping rough in the city centre somewhere to stay and get themselves sorted. Between all his work commitments, his regular calls with Richard to check on the London office and Elizabeth's own commitments, he had hardly any time to spend with his girlfriend.

He smiled to himself when he heard her let out a sigh of contentment, feeling her grip his hair a little tighter when he found a spot on her neck which made her feel a little weak in the knees.

"I'd very much like it if you would stay the night." Will whispered huskily in her ear.

Elizabeth let out a moan and pulled him away from her neck to look in her eyes deeply.

"I didn't bring my stuff." She laughed.

"I'll drop you back to yours later, so you can pack a bag with everything you'll need. We're dropping Lydia and Georgie there later for a sleepover." Will said softly.

As Elizabeth murmured her agreement, a thought popped into Will's head. He missed her a lot when he had to spend his nights sleeping alone, he missed the soft noises she made in her sleep, the way her wavy hair took up the whole pillow when he woke before her in the mornings. It was a bit of an annoyance whenever they both had to pack overnight bags when she spent the night at his place or he spent the night at her aunt and uncle's. Smiling to her, he helped her off the kitchen counter and took her hand to lead her out of the kitchen.

"Will, what are we doing? The girls are upstairs!" Elizabeth giggled.

He continued to hold her hand as he led her up the staircase, not stopping until they were in his bedroom with the door firmly closed.

"Will? What are we doing?" Elizabeth asked curiously.

But he didn't answer her. Instead he poured his focus into pulling out the bottom drawer of his dresser and began to empty the contents onto his bed until it was completely empty. Will stood up, taking her hand and facing her.

"When you pack your bag tonight, pack a few extras. A few outfits, pyjamas, some underwear, sanitary pads, toothpaste, you get the idea. And then when we come back here, you can put them in the drawer and leave them here for the next time you stay over." Will explained.

He watched as her eyes widened in surprise, filling with happiness at his gesture.

"You mean, have some of my stuff here all the time?" she questioned.

Will nodded, cupping her cheek.

"Yes. I know we've had a rough time in the start of our relationship and we're still working through it, but this means everything. I miss you when I have to sleep alone because my work schedule doesn't permit me to spend much time with you. So, I'd like to see some of your stuff here when I have to wake up in the morning without you. I'd like to see your toothbrush in the bathroom, your deodorant and hairbrush on my chest of drawers. Your clothes in their own drawer. It'll be like you're here." He answered.

It wasn't a massive step in their relationship, just a tiny one. And after ten months of working everything out, he wasn't scared of a bright future any more. He loved her. His past was now firmly in the past and he could focus on having everything with Elizabeth. He hoped that his small gesture would show her just how much he wanted everything with her, that having her belongings in his home would be her safe place too. Will knew that it was too soon to even suggest moving in together, he knew that he had to slowly build to that point. But he knew he was ready to fully commit. But he had to do it in small steps.

"I love you." Elizabeth gushed, wrapping her arms around his waist and hugging him tightly.

"I love you too." Will smiled.

The couple stood there for a few minutes longer in silence, their moment only interrupted by the sound of his sister's bedroom door opening and two teenagers asking when dinner would be ready.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N:** Apologies that I haven't updated for a while, I know I had said that I wanted to have this story finished by the end of October and that hasn't been the case. Life has been hectic and getting in the way since I last posted, it just seems to be one thing after another lately. I haven't had much time for writing and updating due to other commitments so I won't promise when the ending is going to be posted but I think this story will be finished within the next two postings which will include the epilogue. I'd also like to apologise if some of you think this chapter is lacking in content or not up to usual standards.

Enjoy.

 **Chapter Sixteen**

November had arrived, bringing the icy bite in the air as it usually did to the climate. The Christmas markets had already been set up to encourage purchases from shoppers who had already started their gift shopping for the festive season. With the cold winter weather, came the annual fireworks display on Bonfire Night, a tradition that most of the country chose to celebrate.

This year, Elizabeth sat on a bench on top of Portsdown Hill, waiting for the fireworks display to start in the distance. She smiled as her boyfriend came hurrying over from the burger van, passing her the one he had bought for her.

"Thanks," Elizabeth said, her stomach rumbling, "I'm starving."

"No problem." Will smiled, taking a seat next to her as he took a bite out of his own burger.

The two observed the many people who had arrived at the viewpoint to watch the fireworks. Some were queueing at the burger vans whilst others had brought old blankets to sit on the wet grass. Just a little way ahead of Elizabeth and Will sat a group of four teenagers, trying to pretend that the two adults weren't watching them.

"Don't you find it amusing that our sisters are pretending we aren't here?" Will chuckled.

"It's a part of being a teenager. I'm sure we were both the same at their age; a little shy to be around their boyfriends when their guardians are in the same place they are." Elizabeth mused.

She noticed her boyfriend nod in reply following the few minutes of silence as they ate their burgers.

"You know…I'm so proud of her. For coming through her attempted rape. It's nice to see her happy again." Will smiled.

Elizabeth returned the smile as she looked at the group of teenagers, watching as Georgiana laughed at something Denny had just told her. It certainly was nice to see Georgiana happy again. And Lydia. They had been through an ordeal. And although they were still young, and their experiences would stay with them for life, Elizabeth knew that both the girls were strong enough to come through it completely.

"They're both pretty amazing, aren't they?"

Will nodded, wrapping one arm around her and holding her tightly. As the two of them finished their food, Elizabeth noted how much had changed since this time a year ago. A year ago, to the day, had been the start of her and Will putting their differences aside after a bad start. And although the year had proved to be difficult, she finally felt that she could move forward. She was back to work, albeit part-time. Wickham was in prison for the rest of his life and her therapist was helping her to cope and deal with the trauma she had experienced during her captivity. Her sisters were happy. And she and Will were moving forward in their relationship.

Elizabeth looked up and fiddled around in her coat pocket, her hand tightening around the item she had been searching for and pulled her hand out and placed it in Will's. She smiled as her boyfriend looked down at her in confusion as she opened her hand and dropped the item into his palm.

"A key?" Will asked with confusion.

Elizabeth grinned up at him, nodding her head against his shoulder. Ever since Will had made a small gesture of giving her a drawer to put her belongings in whenever she stayed over at his, and vice versa, she had hope that her future with him was going to be a long and bright one. And now she wanted to take another little step forward. More importantly, she felt ready to take another step. It may have only been small, but her heart was racing fast in her chest as she coughed to clear her throat.

"It's a key to Maddie and Ed's. A key to home." Elizabeth replied nervously.

Will smiled widely at her as he gave her a tight squeeze.

"Lizzy…this is…I don't know what to say…" he laughed joyfully.

"I thought it might be handy to have. Ed and Maddie are fine with it, I asked their permission before getting a key cut.

Will ran a hand through her wavy hair before cupping her cheek.

"I'll get you one made up tomorrow for my place." he whispered.

Without saying another word, the couple shared a loving kiss as the bright colours of reds, oranges, blues, greens and yellows started to light up the night sky.

ooOoo

After the fireworks display was over, the group had headed back to Maddie and Ed's. Georgiana and Denny had said their goodbyes, they were going out for some dinner together. Will and Ed were catching up with each other whilst Jimmy had said his goodbyes to his girlfriend before heading home. Lydia sat at the dining table with her sister, thinking over just how much things had changed between her and Jimmy over the past few weeks.

Ever since she had told her boyfriend about her past, Jimmy had proven to be a true surprise. After her experience with Jamie, she had found it hard to believe that someone would be willing to want to be with her and help her deal with her issues regarding relationships, trust and intimacy. She hadn't wanted to find herself being vulnerable with anyone, but Jimmy had been willing to take their relationship at her pace since she had confided in him about her past. He had shown her that he truly cared about her by being patient and understanding.

"He's not long left you and you can't stop thinking about him?" Elizabeth teased quietly.

Lydia blinked and met her sister's gaze, blushing slightly.

"We're in a good place. He's just...so different to what I first thought..." she smiled.

"Good. I'm glad that he's giving you what you need."

Lydia hesitated for a moment, debating whether to tell her sister that Jimmy had invited her to stay over at the weekend. She wasn't sure how her sister would take it and if it was a situation whether Elizabeth would have to be sister or guardian by giving her permission or advice. Unfortunately, before she could make her mind up to confide in her sister, Elizabeth seemed to notice her hesitation.

"Something you want to tell me?" Elizabeth asked quietly.

Pulling a face, Lydia decided that honesty was the best policy.

"Jimmy's mum is going away at the weekend and he's invited me to stay over on Friday night." she replied in a whisper.

Elizabeth's eyes widened, it was clear she hadn't been expecting that.

"Oh...right..."

"It's quite a difficult scenario..."

"Well I mean...what do you need from me?" Elizabeth asked uncertainly.

Lydia shrugged her shoulders.

"I'm not really sure, to be honest. I didn't know whether I would tell you that he wants me to stay over, and if I did tell you, I wasn't sure if you would be the guardian and give me or deny me permission. Or if you would be the sister and give me the typical safe sex talk." she muttered.

Elizabeth sighed, giving her a reassuring smile.

"Do you want to take that step with Jimmy? Do you feel ready?" her sister asked.

"I'm still scared about it," Lydia replied quietly, "At the same time though, Jimmy makes me feel safe. I know I can talk to him and he's not pressuring me to take the next step."

"Well then...as your sister I would say that you know when you're ready and if you don't feel ready, you tell him it's not the time. As your guardian...I'm not going to stop you if it's what you want. You're sixteen, you're at the age of consent legally. I trust you to know your own mind and if I forbade you from staying the night, you'd either resent me or do it behind my back anyway. Just be safe and use precautions, make sure that he's not got any STDs or anything. And I want you to check in with me now and then, just so I know you're safe. And if you want me to come and get you, I will." Elizabeth said firmly.

"Thanks Lizzy. I don't even know if _it_ will happen, it's not something we've just sort of said will..." Lydia mumbled.

"It isn't something you pencil in on your calendar, Lydi. It's more of a in-the-moment kind of thing. You'll know when you want it to happen." Elizabeth said reassuringly.

"I guess." Lydia sighed.

"You know you can always talk to me about this stuff, good or bad. Any questions or doubts. I can't always promise that I'll have the answers you're looking for, but I'll always try my best to help you where I can." Elizabeth promised.

Smiling at her sister, Lydia nodded her head.

"I know. Thank you, Lizzy."

Without saying anything more, the two sisters were joined by Maddie, Ed and Will with a pack of playing cards; ready to start playing a game of cheat before everyone settled down for the night.

ooOoo

"Thank you for dinner." Georgiana smiled.

"My pleasure." Denny said warmly.

The two teenagers stood on the doorstep outside the Darcy home, listening awkwardly to see if they could hear the sound of the television inside or the sound of Alice walking around the kitchen. Both let out a sigh of relief when they heard nothing.

"Alice must be in bed." Georgiana commented.

"I'd better get home, I have three missed calls from my mum." Denny said with disappointment.

Georgiana nodded, stepping closer to her boyfriend and pressed her lips to his. Just as Denny started to reciprocate the kiss, they were interrupted by the sound of a mobile phone ringing – as if urgently. Denny pulled away, sighing impatiently as he pulled the phone out of his coat pocket and pressed the phone to his ear, clicking the answer button.

"Hello mum, I'm just saying goodbye to Georgie…why do you need me home so urgently…alright I'll be there as quick as I can…"

The phone call ended. Georgiana looked at her boyfriend, full of concern. Something had happened. The look on her boyfriend's face told her that whatever it was, it was something bad.

"What's the matter?" she asked soothingly.

Denny slowly placed his phone back into his pocket and looked down at her, his face turning a pale white.

"Mum wants me home, she can't be on her own. She had a call from the prison where George is serving his sentence. Apparently, he's in hospital – she didn't state why, that's why I need to go. She's in a state." He explained.

"I hope your mum will be alright. Ring me if you need anything." Georgiana replied softly.

"I will, thank you." Denny said.

Receiving one last, quick kiss, Georgiana watched as her boyfriend turned and left, walking down the darkened street until he was out of sight. Turning to unlock the front door, Georgiana stepped inside the warmth of her house, calling out her brother's name to inform him that George Wickham was in hospital.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N:** Here is the final chapter of the story, but don't worry: the epilogue will soon follow on. Thank you to all you loyal readers for sticking with me through the first story and now this one. It's been a pleasure to write, even if it has taken me longer than I had originally planned.

Enjoy!

 **Chapter Seventeen**

Sitting in the café that she had only sat in weeks ago, Lydia smiled a small smile as Francine took the seat opposite her.

"Thank you for seeing me." Francine said warmly, taking off her scarf and gloves and placing them down on the table in front of her.

"I know it's been a while since we last met, I thought it was about time we should talk again." Lydia replied.

Francine nodded, a slight pause between them. Lydia wrapped her hands around her mug of hot chocolate, hoping to warm them as she tried to think of what to say next. It had been weeks since Francine had met with her and Elizabeth at this very café and over those weeks, she and her sisters had had various discussions about whether to get to know their absent mother or not.

"How have you been?" Francine asked, ending the silence.

"Not too bad, I've been kept busy with school and working part-time at Boswell's." Lydia replied.

"Do you enjoy it there?"

Lydia nodded, smiling fondly. She was really enjoying her time at Boswell's, even if she couldn't work as much to earn her own money due to her lack of freedom to work more shifts. The plus side to her work was that if the week didn't allow her and Jimmy to spend much time together due to their conflicting sixth form schedules, they still got to catch up at work; and steal a few kisses every now and again.

"It's a really good job."

Francine nodded again, a small smile forming on her face.

"Do you have many friends?" Francine asked.

"A few good friends, I don't need a lot."

"And does your sister like living down here?"

Lydia's smile faded, her eyes shifting to look around the café as an attempt to distract herself. She was asked by her sisters not to feed Fran any information about what they got up to or any other aspects of their lives. Unfortunately, Fran had noticed her shift in gaze.

"Your sisters don't want anything to do with me, do they?" Fran summarized sadly.

Lydia nodded sadly.

"I think it's different for them. You abandoned your three daughters and they were so much older and took it a lot harder. I don't even have any memories of you, I was barely walking when you left." She explained.

"I knew it would be hard for them…but everyone deserves a second chance…" Fran mumbled.

"Not everyone deserves a second chance. Not those who are so twisted and evil that they deserve what they get. In my experience anyway." Lydia argued.

Fran nodded stiffly, mumbling an apology about her insensitivity. The two minutes that followed, neither were sure of what to say to each other but Lydia fought the instinct to say her goodbyes and leave the café. She was here because she felt slightly differently since Fran had approached her and Elizabeth all those weeks ago. Of course, she couldn't deny the hurt and anger she felt at being abandoned by her mother. But at the same time, she had never known who her mother was, whereas her two older sisters had known their mother when Fran had upped and left. She had always wondered about Fran, had felt this curiosity that had never gone away and that was why she was sitting in the café today. She wanted to give Fran a second chance, starting off slowly of getting to know each other to see if there could be a future where her mother was a part of it.

"Look, it's a difficult situation. Lizzy and Jane don't feel ready to put the past behind them when it comes to you wanting to connect with us. Especially after you made it clear last year that you never wanted to be a mother." Lydia said calmly.

"I've done a lot of thinking since then." Fran said defensively.

"So, you've said. But they need some more time to decide if they want to have a future where you are in it or not. They are thinking about it. But for them, this decision is going to take some time. They can't just work out their feelings about it straight away." Lydia replied.

"But you've thought about it and made a decision? Is that why you agreed to meet with me again?" Fran asked.

"I have made a decision." Lydia confirmed.

Fran held the edge of the table tightly, her knuckles turning white with nerves.

"And….?" Fran questioned.

"I want us to meet every now and then, catch each other up. Learn about each other. The good and the bad. The interests. The dislikes. If you agree to this, it has to go slowly."

Fran seemed to hesitate for a few moments before smiling.

"And you truly want to give me a second chance?" the woman asked.

"Yes. It's different for me. I've always had this curiosity about who you were, and I think I'm ready to try and get to know you." She replied.

"And what if a few months down the line, you decide that you don't want to get to know me after all?" Fran asked.

Lydia shrugged. She honestly didn't know how she would feel a few months down the line.

"That's why I said we have to take this slowly. One meeting at a time. It may end up that we go our separate ways and never speak again, or it could go to developing relationship of some sort." She replied.

"And what kind of relationship would you like with me?"

"I doubt it will be a motherly one, for many reasons."

Fran nodded stiffly again.

"Because I was never a mother." The woman muttered.

"Look, that's just a fact. I doubt I will ever see you as a motherly figure. Lizzy and Jane have taken on that role jointly. They provided for me. They cared for me. They helped dad raise me. If that fact is going to be a sore point for you…I'm not going to apologise for it." Lydia stated, a little too bluntly.

"I suppose only time will tell, won't it?" Fran sighed.

Lydia nodded her agreement.

"So, when do you want to start getting together?"

"Now seems like a good time." Lydia said encouragingly.

As Fran gave her a grateful smile, the waitress working in the café came over to their table and asked if they wanted anything. The two ordered some more hot chocolate and sat back comfortably in their chairs.

ooOoo

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Will asked her quietly.

Elizabeth took a deep breath and nodded, looking through the window as she observed the lying figure of her kidnapper laying in a hospital bed. George Wickham looked almost unrecognizable. He was wearing a hospital gown, wires attached to his body and connected to various machines. His arms were handcuffed to the bed he lay in, with a prison guard stood on either side of the door on the inside of the room. His face was bloodied and bruised, so swollen it was obvious he had been beaten to within an inch of his life.

"I need to do this." Elizabeth replied confidently.

"I understand, Lizzy. But please, let me come in with you." Will pleaded.

Elizabeth looked up at her boyfriend, smiling gratefully as she squeezed his hand reassuringly. She knew he was worried. Ever since Georgiana had told them that George Wickham had been hospitalized, Will had been fearful. Her boyfriend had worried that it was another trick of Wickham's, until the police officer who had dealt with the Wickham case confirmed that her kidnapper had gotten on the wrong side of some dodgy characters in the prison. And then she had spent a few hours during the night, trying to drift off to sleep, but could only think about Wickham lying in a hospital bed and thinking about what she would say to him if she could come face to face with him.

When she had told Will about her thoughts, it hadn't gone down too well with her boyfriend. Will had been angry with the idea of having Wickham in their lives again, even if it was just for one short visit. It had him worried that it was another plot of Wickham's to get involved in their lives again. But after many discussions and her confiding in Dr. Richardson about her decision, Will came round and decided to support her choice.

And now, here she was. Taking a deep breath as she pushed open the door to Wickham's private room and entered, telling the guard she only needed five minutes. She stared at her kidnapper, feeling nothing but loathing towards him as his one good eye squinted open and met her angry gaze.

"Elizabeth Bennet…" Wickham grunted.

"I won't be staying, I just came here to tell you that you lost." Elizabeth stated calmly.

Wickham chuckled, wincing in pain as he realised he couldn't clutch his ribs.

"I'll have a chance…to get even…" he croaked.

Elizabeth laughed, shaking her head at his attempt to stay confident that he would continue to make a mark on her life.

"You won't. You tried to destroy me, my life, my love for Will. And for a while I thought that you would. What you put me through…what you put Sarah through…And Oscar through…I thought it would consume me, change me, destroy me. But you didn't. You failed. I came here to say that you're irrelevant. You don't hold any power over my life or my future."

"You seem pretty certain…that I won't find another way…"

Elizabeth placed her hands down on the railing at the foot of his bed, squeezing it tightly as she tried to fight Wickham's attempt to agitate her.

"I am certain. You're going to be locked up in that prison for the rest of your miserable life, having to live with the fact that your pathetic vendetta against a man who did nothing to you backfired. It's landed you with a permanent place for lowlifes at Her Majesty's Pleasure and it's left you utterly alone. Me and Will are still together, stronger than ever. Sarah is moving on with her life, happy at last. Your own mother and brother don't even mention your name. What you did was unforgivable. But also, it pushed everyone who you tried to hurt closer together rather than tearing them apart." She said sharply.

Wickham glared at her as best he could.

"Does it feel good? Gloating? What makes you so sure that I won't come for you again?" he asked her.

Her heart was racing in her chest, but she remained calm. Her eyes didn't move from his gaze.

"This is just what I needed to move on completely. You won't ever touch me, or anyone that I love ever again. Because after you get out of here once you've recovered from your beating, they're moving you to a high security prison where you'll have very little interaction with anyone else. They say it's for your own safety after such a savage beating but I take comfort in the fact that you'll be alone, having to live with your demons and having no opportunity to act on them. The crimes you've committed have earned you this and it's what you deserve. As for me, I'm going to leave this hospital and carry on with my life. I'm going to marry the man I love, I'm going to have his children. I'm going to be happy and carry on with my career. I'm going to watch my sisters be successful and have their own lives. I'm going to enjoy every second of my life without giving you a second thought." Elizabeth declared.

Wickham shifted his position in the bed, as if trying to come across more intimidating but Elizabeth didn't move. She wasn't scared of him anymore. She wasn't afraid of Wickham having control over her life anymore.

"Darcy can't commit to you. So, your certainty of a future with him is a little premature. He won't be able to propose because he's such a pathetic weakling!" Wickham spat, "He fears having a future because he knows he lost to me!"

"Keep telling yourself that," Elizabeth shot back angrily, "But the fact is that we're still together, we've overcome everything you've put us through! And the truth is, he is a far better man than you will ever be!"

And she expected him to shout something back at her, goad her or insist that Will was the loser and that he'd have revenge; but Wickham remained silent, a look of thunderous rage etched on his face.

"Get out! Gloating bitch!" Wickham growled threateningly.

Saying nothing more, Elizabeth turned her back on George Wickham for the last time and left the hospital, arm in arm with the man she loved. As she and Will headed back to the car park to leave the hospital grounds, Will squeezed her tightly.

"I'm so proud of you." He said softly.

"Thank you, for supporting me through this. I know it can't have been easy for you to watch me do that." Elizabeth replied.

"It wasn't easy," Will admitted, "But it was what you needed to do to move on and put the past behind you. I wanted to be there with you."

"It felt…good…to say all that to him…and now we can move forward." Elizabeth smiled.

The two reached Will's car and stood at the end of it, where Will wrapped his arms around his girlfriend's waist and held her tightly.

"Would your definition of moving forward look something like moving in with me?" Will asked, an eyebrow raised and a grin forming on his face.

Elizabeth felt her heart hammering inside her chest with excitement as she kissed him fiercely. When she pulled away, she nodded her head enthusiastically.

"I'd love to move in with you someday." She breathed happily.

"Someday? I was thinking as soon as possible!" Will declared.

"How soon?"

"Is next week soon enough?"

Elizabeth squealed happily as Will lifted her, raising her feet off the ground as he spun her around. With her feet firmly placed back on the ground, the two of them moved to get into the car after another driver beeped at them annoyingly.

"So, you know how you want me to move in as soon as possible, you've really thought about it?" Elizabeth asked curiously, buckling her seatbelt.

"Of course. It isn't something I've not thought about." Will replied, clipping his own seatbelt in and putting the key into the car ignition.

"So…you've thought about having two teenagers in the house?"

Will laughed, starting the car and pulling out of the parking space.

"Two teenagers living with us…do you reckon that will be our scariest challenge yet?" he joked.

"I guess we'll just have to find out." Elizabeth said warmly.

The two lovers drove off away from the hospital and made their way home, finally putting this horrible chapter of their story behind them.


	18. Epilogue

**A/N:** Here's the final chapter, the epilogue. Thank you to all again.

My next WIP is titled Haven and will be posted in January.

Enjoy.

 **Epilogue**

 **July time, four years later**

Standing in her black and purple cap and gown, Lydia looked down at the rolled-up scroll of paper she held in her hand. After spending the last six years living in Portsmouth, she had finally gained her degree at the city's university. Today was the day she graduated from university, gaining a degree in psychology.

"Lydi! Lydi!" an excited, squeal yelled in the crowd behind her.

Lydia turned around, smiling as she saw a woman running towards her, her own paper scroll clutched in one hand and her mass of blonde curly hair bouncing around her. She laughed when Georgiana reached her, panting for breath.

"We've done it, Georgie! We've graduated!" Lydia sighed happily.

Georgiana burst out with a wide grin on her face, waving her left hand in front of Lydia, whose eyes widened at the sparkly ring on her best friend's ring finger.

"I'm getting married! Can you believe it?! Today is officially the best day of my life!" Georgiana cried happily.

"Congratulations Gee. So where is the lucky man?" Lydia asked, her eyes searching through the crowd of black and purple gowns.

She saw the fellow students who had also graduated move out of the way as Denny came squeezing his way through. When he reached the two women, Lydia gave him a tight hug, expressing her delight that her two best friends were marking the start of the next chapter of their lives together.

"Congratulations Denny. I'm really happy for you both!" Lydia smiled.

"Thanks Lyds. I'd be really happy if you'd agree to be my best man. Or best woman would be a more appropriate title." Denny smiled.

Georgiana nudged Denny in the ribs, causing him to look down at his fiancée with a frown.

"What?!" Denny asked, confused.

"You can't have her as your best man when she's going to be my bridesmaid!" Georgiana laughed.

"Can't she be both?"

"You'll find it harder than you think it would be." A voice stated.

The three turned to see that they had been joined by Alice, Maddie, Ed, Will, Elizabeth, Jane, Charles and two young children.

"Planning a wedding is hard work." Will agreed, giving Elizabeth a tight squeeze.

"It can't be that hard?" Denny questioned.

"Oh mate, trust me, it is," Charles laughed, "Jane was so stressed when it came to our wedding, she nearly had a breakdown."

Jane rolled her eyes.

"Charles exaggerates. Any excuse to tell people that I drank so much wine during the planning stage of our wedding."

The group laughed. Lydia smiled fondly at how far she and everyone she knew had come in the last four years. Georgiana and Denny had been together the entire time, choosing to attend the University of Portsmouth instead of putting each other through the pain and separation of attending separate universities. Georgiana had been offered a place at Cambridge and Oxford but when she had discovered that Portsmouth offered the same course that she wanted to study, she had made the decision to stay local.

Jane and Charles had carried out their plan to move in together the summer before Lydia started her final year of sixth form at Rosings. Charles had managed to get a teaching position at the local secondary school in Thurston and Jane had successfully managed to expand Longbourn and turn it into an inn, marking a new chapter for the family business. They had married six months later and had their first child, a son they named Charlie Thomas, during Lydia's second year at university.

Elizabeth and Will had gotten married two years ago after buying a bigger house together to start a family. While they kept the family house where Will and Georgiana had grown up, they acknowledged that to have a family, they wanted a larger house. Their first child, a girl named Jessica had just celebrated her second birthday and Elizabeth was six months pregnant with their second child. Elizabeth had decided to quit her job at Rosings the year that Charles left, feeling that it wasn't satisfying her as a qualified nurse. So, after taking three months off to help Will get the Portsmouth side of TPA off to a successful start, she managed to get a job working at the local hospital and had been happy in her new role since.

Maddie and Ed had been sad to see their nieces move out. But they had been supportive and understanding that Elizabeth and Lydia living with them hadn't supposed to be a long-term arrangement. But while the Gardiner house was somewhat quieter, the girls did go back to their aunt and uncle's for dinner three times a week, grateful that they had helped them out when they all needed a fresh start.

"So, now that the graduation ceremony has taken place and Dennis has proposed to my little sister, how about I buy us all a celebratory drink?" Will suggested brightly.

The group murmured in agreement and started to walk off towards The Fleet.

"What time is Fran meeting us?" Ed asked curiously.

"She said she'll be there in about half an hour." Jane replied.

That was something else that had changed during the last four years. Fran and Lydia had managed to build a relationship thanks to their meetups four years ago. Eventually, Lydia had managed to approach her sisters and open up the discussion about her two sisters giving Fran a chance. And it had taken a while but eventually, Jane and Lizzy had agreed. And while none of the Bennet girls called Fran 'mum', they had managed to get to a place where Fran would meet up with them on occasion and had the opportunity to spend time with her grandchildren.

But just as the group made it to the steps of the pub, Lydia heard her name being called. She turned around, smiling widely as Jimmy stood in front of her, holding a large bouquet of flowers.

"Jimmy…" she breathed, unsure of what to say.

"These are for you. Congratulations. You've now officially joined the adult world." Jimmy said warmly.

The rest of the group headed inside the pub, deciding to give the two of them some privacy. Lydia leaned up and kissed her boyfriend before pulling away.

"I can't wait to spend the next three months with you." Lydia smiled.

"It's going to be amazing. Three months. Just you and me. Travelling around Asia. Have you finished packing yet?" Jimmy asked.

Lydia shook her head. They had been planning to travel around Asia for the last two years, scrimping and saving whatever money they could; with a little help from their families for Christmas and Birthday gifts. She had also been granted the little inheritance that she had from her father and had decided to save it for when she graduated from university.

"Not yet. I've been a little preoccupied with leaving the house and sorting out the belongings that Lizzy and Will are storing for me." She replied.

Jimmy chuckled.

"We leave in four days, you need to start finishing up."

"I know, and I will. But today I just want to celebrate graduating from university with my loved ones." Lydia sighed.

"You're really going to miss them, aren't you?"

She nodded.

"It's different. I'm doing something new. When it was me and Lizzy down here and Jane back home running Longbourn, I missed her. But this time, I'm going to be going out of the country for three months. Lizzy may give birth to her baby girl while we're away if we aren't back before then."

"Are you having second thoughts?" Jimmy asked.

Lydia shook her head. While she knew that she would miss her family terribly while she was away, she knew that she would regret it if she didn't go travelling. It was her chance to experience something that was just her and Jimmy before they settled back down to life in Portsmouth together. It was her only chance to do this before she was due to start her new job in October.

"No, I'm not having second thoughts. I want to see China, Singapore, Thailand, Japan. The places we have talked about seeing for the past two years. And I don't want to do it with anyone else but you, Jimmy." She said lovingly.

Jimmy kissed her forehead and hugged her tightly.

"I'm really proud of you, do you know that?" he whispered.

Lydia nodded against his chest. She felt proud of herself for everything she had done in the last four years. She had managed to overcome her fears about intimacy and sex. She had worked hard during her sixth form years at Rosings and achieved top grades. She had worked hard through her years at university. She had graduated from university with a job offer starting in October as a counsellor for a charity called Talking Change, run in the city when one of their current counsellor's retired.

"And you've been by me through it all. Supporting me, loving me, cheering me on. You've been the best boyfriend I could ever ask for." Lydia replied.

With nothing more to say, the two headed into The Fleet to join the rest of Lydia's family to celebrate the coming future.


End file.
